Rules of normality
by Alec48
Summary: "I write because I must. Because those that are left, those still breathing need me. And I know no way to keep my sanity, no way to find comfort but in the crumbled and old pages of this unused journal. Were I anybody else, it would have been much simpler to describe what I feel.. My name is Harry James Potter..I have seen evil and misery. Two that often travel together."
1. PROLOGUE

**RULES OF NORMALITY**

A Harry Potter Fanfiction

By Alec48

_DISCLAIMER: _**Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Harry Potter, and neither do you.**

**PROLOGUE :**

_Journal entry :_

_I think it would be harder this time around to write more and more words to describe my days and nights simply for the fact that ever since people started dying, ever since it all ended, days became often the same. It's scary how identical hours could be, but I guess the only change I have seen in my world for so long would be in me. Days taught me that we never know the value of what we have until we lose it. But I think people hear that so many times on so many occasions that they memorized it, but I'm yet to meet someone that actually remembers those words before the inevitable, before the end._

_I write because I must. Because those that are left, those still breathing need me. And I know no way to keep my sanity, no way to find comfort but in the crumbled and old pages of this unused journal. Were I anybody else, it would have been much simpler to describe what I feel.. _

_My name is Harry James Potter.. _

_I have seen evil and misery. Those two often travel together, where one goes, the other closely follows. I defeated one, owned the other. Neither feat was free of sacrifice._

_I have__ known__ love and let me just underline that word to emphasize my point. I can only hope that you have an idea what I'm talking about. It would be easier to explain if you can relate, but then again don't we all know where this is going ?_

_You see, I have a problem with memory._

_A problem with destiny._

_And at last a problem with normality._

_Now that would seem pretty much confusing at first glance, but jokes aside, I have always had the issue of constantly remembering the pain and sorrow that I went through for as long as I can remember, such a problem resulted in the second one, for destiny is to blame for all that I had to endure in my long, but painful life. But despite all the sorrow and pain, there was always a slice of happiness concealed along the road, and ever so often, I was able to steal myself a few moments of pure normality. Such normality was inspired by friendship, loyalty and love, it was inspired by doing what was right, for the sake of others, for the sake of that normality that others took for granted. You see, we were always different, we were chosen by whatever high force of destiny to be the ones that sacrificed family, wealth, time and tears so that the oblivious "normal" others would be safe._

_And thus, I had a problem with normality. Normality that never hung around long enough for us to feel like we could actually belong._

* * *

"Papa?" The melodious voice pulled him from his ministrations and Harry Potter, a forty-five year old dark haired man looked up at the door where a girl stood, rubbing her eyes furiously.

It only took a second for the quill to drop on the table and for a smile to grace his features. "Sweetheart, why are you up so late?"

"Nightmare" She breathed out with a yawn.

"Go back to sleep." He whispered "I should be getting ready to catch my train in a bit."

"Do you have to go, papa?" She asked, her tone sad, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I must." He said, "I need to." He added, "Else I'd drop insane."

Blue eyes met exhausted green, and for a moment neither spoke until Harry stood from his chair, his back aching from the long hours he spent in that seated position. Once he was on his feet, the girl moved forward to embrace him, her arms tightening around the man that dedicated his life for her safety and well being. "Be safe, papa." She whispered, afraid that if she raised her voice, even a little bit, it would break out in a sob.

"Come home soon."

* * *

_I know, I know.._

_What the hell is going on, right?_

_Many things happened in the past few years, and I believe you wouldn't understand unless you were to know what happened so long ago. Well I think I should have gotten this journal years ago ._

_But just to help you understand, I'll take you back a few years. I'll tell you the tale that everyone talked about, but none knew. I believe I am well placed to tell the story in all its details, tell it the way that newspapers and ministries couldn't. _

_Of Potter and the world, and how we defied the rules of normality _

_Until the end.._

_But to reach that, you'll have to follow me a few years back, to the beginning._

* * *

Green

Red

Maroon

All colors of the rainbow flew back and forth across the graveyard. But no, that was a distant memory. Why was he reliving it once more? The question would have alerted him that it was a dream, but the fear of seeing the dark lord once again was frightening enough to make him toss over in bed, throw the covers off and gasp as the green light connected with his chest. With empty lungs, Harry potter inhaled deeply and screamed before sitting up in bed, panting heavily.

July, 15th was the date. The summer after Cedric Diggory's death.

Heavy footsteps in the corridor alerted him that his voice had reached his aunt and uncle's bedroom. He sat up in his bed as the door flew open. in the light of the corridor, Harry could make out the form of his aunt. It was intriguing that she didn't alert her husband and came alone. They watched each other across the room, both silent, both awaiting the other to speak. Slowly, Petunia walked inside and pulled the chair next to his bed. Harry raised a brow at her unexpected move and simply watched her as she took a seat, noting for the first time that this was the closest that they had been unless they were separated by an enraged Vernon.

"This has to stop." She said. Her eyes weary, her expression pleading. "You're scaring us, all of us. We can't live with you screaming into the night. It's scaring the whole neighborhood." Harry kept silent. His nightmares were getting worst, and though he now had quite the head-splitting headache, he remained silent, awaiting what he knew was coming. He was out of control since he had returned from Hogwarts, and the Dursleys were somewhat civil toward him this summer, but he knew that though in the past he was ever the obedient servant, he had turned into an annoyance ever since Cedric died.

"You have to leave. I don't care where you go. I want to live in safety and peace with my family, I don't want you here as a constant reminder of how things can go wrong. Do you understand, Harry ? You may be Lily's boy, but that does not make you a part of my family." She finished desperately, pleading. And Harry could only nod, knowing the gravity of the situation. Petunia was sure of what she was asking, that much was clear.

"In the morning." He replied. "I'll leave in the morning."

Petunia nodded, and gazed at him briefly before getting up and moving toward the door. "Aunt Petunia ?" Harry called and she stopped, turning to face him.

"I'm sorry." He said, "I'm sorry for everything."

Petunia kept silent for a few moments, contemplating how to best answer him, but she couldn't be cruel to him, not after so long. "Me too, Harry. Me too." A comfortable silence followed, the two had finally come to realize that all their past would soon be nothing but a distant memory, and that for the first time, they could be in the same room for more than a few minutes without either of them coming to a sudden death.

When his aunt had left, all will to sleep was gone from his mind. Harry left his bed and began packing his trunk. He had a few hours to get an operational plan before leaving. It wouldn't do to go anywhere that Dumbledore could reach. He wouldn't be led back to Privet Drive, not this time.

Dawn broke, and the light crept through the windows in the small room that was previously occupied by one raven-haired boy called Harry. Petunia had been in the kitchen the whole remainder of the night, thoughts perturbed and sleep lost to the green eyes that she had been watching a few hours ago. It wasn't until Vernon left for work at seven that she left her seat and slowly moved up the stairs and along the corridor. She stopped at the door and carefully pushed it open to reveal a clean room with no sign of ever being used.

Harry Potter was gone.

* * *

_You see, life isn't always as simple as "predestined cause and consequence"_

_No, there is more to it than that. Sometimes the unexpected happens, and while some choose to stick to the plan, argue with fate and destiny and continue in a stubborn attempt to keep on track, some, like me, are forced to pick certain emotions to feed on, and make drastic changes to fit destiny in an attempt to limit the damage and cut the losses._

_While some may have the guidance needed to safely drift down that path of life._

_Some are forced to do it all on their own._

_And I can tell you that being alone lands you in more shit than you can handle._

_So I gave up. _

_Just when people expected me to return for my fifth year of education, just when the Weasleys waited for me on the platform, just when Tonks caught a glimpse of my clean, abandoned room at Privet Drive, _

_Just then,_

_They all realized that Harry Potter was gone._

* * *

**AN: A short prologue, but no worries, first chapter is coming up in a few hours. I'll promise to keep this story updated, interesting and try not to make too many mistakes.**


	2. A Taste of Home

_DISCLAIMER: _**Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Harry Potter, and neither do you.**

**CHAPTER 1 : A taste of home .**

* * *

_I have always been afraid of the idea of destiny. If anything it made me feel controlled and manipulated. Perhaps the fact that my destiny was none too gentle didn't help much with the matter. _

_And though I ran away, disappeared and pretended that I didn't exist, I never stopped looking over my shoulder , I always, always expected fate to catch up with me._

_And catch up with me wasn't the only thing it did._

_It royally bit me in the arse._

* * *

" Fleur Chérie ! Appelle ta soeur et viens diner." Danielle Delacour's voice echoed through the vast manor.

All was well at the Delacour residence. Life was pretty much the same it used to be. It was almost as if the tragedy of the Triwizard tournament three years ago didn't even happen. Not only did it end in the death of one champion, it was soon followed by loss of hope when the boy-who-lived disappeared. Many said that he ran scared, others said that he was captured and murdered by dark wizards that for years craved vengeance for he-who-must-not-be-named, but in the end, nobody had a clue.

Fleur left her room when her mother called from downstairs and knocked on her way down the hall on her sister's door. As she joined her mother in the kitchen, Fleur wondered why the house elf wasn't there, and why it was her mother cooking.

"You're cooking, mother." She noted. "Why are you cooking ?"

"Should I have a reason to want to cook for my family ?" Danielle replied.

"Yes." retorted Fleur, smirking at the glare her mother shot her.

"Well if you-"

Whatever she was about to say caught in her throat as the kitchen wall exploded, knocking both women across the room and into the far wall. For a few moments, Fleur couldn't draw a breath, couldn't explain the buzzing in her ears or her clouded vision. With aching joints, she slowly gained her feet, looking at the source of the explosion, only to notice dark robes, masks and wands. Attempting to reach for her wand, Fleur only succeeded to catch another curse in the chest, flinging her back against the wall and down to the ground once more. The only sounds that could be heard then were Gabrielle crying out her name, and her wand clattering to the ground.

Footsteps approached, a chair was lifted from the rubble, and a masked man took a seat.

Silence.

Fleur attempted to move but could only lift her head. "Qui etes-vous ?" She asked in a ragged voice.

"My identity is of no importance to you." The man replied in English. "What you would be interested to know is that by the time authorities arrive, it would be too late." His calm voice was irritating. It was as if he was discussing the weather casually with a friend.

"Why are you doing zis ?" She asked, almost pleading.

"Well I believe your dear father is the blame for this encounter. He may have supported the imprisonment of a good friend of mine. I don't like having friends behind bars, you see." He explained, holding her wand with two fingers, "It disrupts dinner plans."

"give me my wand zen." She retorted as she gained her feet, "We'll settle eet."

The mask vanished revealing brown eyes and a white beard. The man smiled at her, and she flinched.

"No." Was his simple answer. "I think I'll just keep it." Slowly he stood up, causing Fleur to take a step back and look around, her mother and Gabrielle were nowhere to be found. It was then that she knew what was coming. If they weren't there, then they were kept captive, and since she was here..

She was the proof to show her father that they wouldn't lie about killing.

How best to describe what she felt then ? Afraid ? terrified ? Words as such were not even close to describe how it felt when breathing became a difficult task, when keeping from pleading became awfully hard, when her knees buckled and she dropped to the ground.

The smirk that appeared on the man's face only confirmed her suspicions, and she remained on her knees, awaiting the inevitable.

Just then there was a flash of blue light and the wand that was being leveled at her was no longer there, but flying across the room into the outstretched hand of a green eyed boy. Fleur followed the wand as it sailed across the room and rested in his palm. A glance at his face, and the scar on his forehead froze her in place. The wand hadn't yet reached his hand when curses started travelling toward him. The ones deflected and misaimed hit the walls, causing her to cover behind the toppled table.

It was a matter of seconds before the man that almost killed her dropped unconscious mere feet from her. Her wand dropping from his hand. Fleur made a lunge at it, and just as she grabbed it, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and the familiar but irritating feeling of apparition alerted her that she would see home no more.

She dropped to the ground and instantly turned around, aiming her wand and firing a stunner, only to have it miss the figure's head by a few inches. Silence reigned as she stared at him, her wand still trained on him.

"Well that wasn't very nice." Said Harry Potter. "I'm not going to harm you."

Slowly, her arm fell to her side, but her eyes didn't, couldn't leave his green ones and look elsewhere. "Arry ?" She asked hesitantly.

"Yes." He answered. "But you can't tell anyone that you saw me or that I was even there."

"Those men, who were Zey ? Wha-" She started rambling and Harry cut her off. "You can't tell anyone you saw me !"

She couldn't say anything. Here she was, a thousand questions on her mind, and she didn't even bother to question the fact that Harry Potter has been gone for almost three years. "In a few seconds" Harry continued urgently "Albus Dumbledore will appear. He'll take you to safety, stay there and do not, under any circumstances go back to France, do you understand ?"

Fleur could only look at him. What was she supposed to do ? Just act on the idea that this was in fact Harry Potter ? That she was being rescued ? that only a few minutes ago, she was about to die ? "Oui." She whispered, not trusting her voice. Harry nodded, smiling sadly at her and stood up from his kneeling position.

"Arry, my mozzer.. Gabrielle.." She pleaded, wanting an explanation, as if their lives were in his hands.

"I know, I'll take care of that, I promise. Just do as I said, alright ?"

Just then, three loud cracks of apparition echoed through the park where they were, and by the time Fleur looked back, Harry was no longer there.

"Aleor, see if you can find anything in that direction. Alert us if you come across someone." She heard a voice say, the Hogwarts headmaster's.

"Over 'ere !" She yelled into the darkness. A few seconds later, three lit wands were trained at her, and the elderly face of Albus Dumbledore appeared. "Miss Delacour ?" He asked, as if he didn't trust his eyes to convey a clear image. "Oh my dear, what happened ? How did you get here ?"

Fleur let out a sigh of relief, leaning back on the ground, closing her eyes for just a moment.

"Arry Potter happened."

* * *

_Fleur Delacour.._

_As you may well guess, I have quite a lot to say about that woman. Anyone would, but most importantly I had even more to say to her than your average drooling hormonic teenager. I had many things to apologize for, many things to thank her for, but I guess I messed up big time._

_Oh I messed up big time._

_When I left the wizarding world behind and left the Dursleys to explain an empty room to a very perturbed Dumbledore, I hadn't thought that I would actually get far before getting caught._

_But it seems that if careful enough, even Harry Potter could disappear off the face of earth._

_And even eager dark lords would be weary not to do anything until any and all suspicions were to be confirmed._

_I broke hearts, I did. And not in an appealing way._

_I made friends cry, allies despair and enemies cackle in joyous laughter. I made newspaper call me a coward at first, but beg for my return once the shit started hitting the fan._

_I had hoped for normality, _

_But one of the rules of normality, the first that I had learnt in the first ever defiant act of my life :_

_Guilt never allows us happiness._

* * *

The morning breeze was, if anything refreshing, promising. But not everyone stopped to enjoy it. A shame, Harry thought as he watched people around him hurry along the road, each too busy with life to notice a boy standing along the sidewalk, eyes closed and a peaceful smile plastered on his face. Oh how he adored not being noticed. For three years, he had been just another human being in the muggle world. Just a random nice boy with a scar and green eyes that worked in a café and conversed kindly with the customers. No wand, no magic, no dark lord and no death.

Alas, all good things come to an end, especially if you're the boy that a dark lord took a liking to. But that was the purpose of his pointless admiration of the morning breeze. This was his own way of saying goodbye to the tainted piece of life as it should be.

"A wonderful morning, is it not ?"

Harry slowly opened his eyes. He figured it would be Dumbledore that would come, of course it would be. He was sure that it posed no question to the order when they received his letter, no argument about who should go. Everyone knew that Harry respected Dumbledore beyond anyone else, and they knew that the old man had a way of saying the right thing at the right time.

"And here I thought I would not be attracting any attention today." Harry replied and turned around to face the older man. At his remark, Dumbledore looked around, smiling kindly at the passing surprised muggles that seemed intrigued by the man's appearance.

"Were you expecting someone else, my boy ?" Asked Dumbledore as his gaze returned to Harry.

"Oh I knew it would be you. I half expected Ron or Hermione to be with you." Taking a step away from Dumbledore, Harry motioned to the road ahead, "Fancy a walk, sir ?"

Dumbledore chuckled "Oh yes yes, It would do me good to stretch my legs every once and a while. A school professor only rarely gets the chance to walk around aimlessly." They fell into a slow pace, both silent for a few seconds before Harry broke the silence.

"This isn't aimless, sir. I called you here for a reason."

"I suspected as much."

"But you came for another reason."

Dumbledore nodded "Yes and I dare say it's quite obvious what that reason may be."

"You want to take me back." Said Harry calmly.

"Yes, but we can get to that later. For now, I find myself wondering what it is you wished to speak to me about ?"

Harry stopped walking, and Dumbledore turned to see a thousand emotions flicker through the boy's expression.

"I want to explain everything, sir."

Dumbledore remained silent, the same warm smile never leaving his face. "You don't have to tell me why you left, Harry. That much is your own to keep or tell. But I know that you showed yourself at the Delacour manor last week for a reason. And that's because you know you can make a difference. An admirable intervention, Harry. You do the right thing for the right reasons. We are all human, Harry." Dumbledore pressed, "We all make mistakes. Come home, and we'll figure it out. Miss Delacour was very upset that you left her in that park without the chance to thank you. Your friends-"

Just when he thought he got his point across, Harry cut him off "Don't try to make me feel guilty, headmaster, it would ruin everything." It was evident that he was angry at the last word the headmaster muttered. "I can't go with you." He added, shaking his head.

Dumbledore sighed, wondering what exactly was going through the boy's mind. "Harry.."

"I can't come with you right now." Repeated Harry, "I have… something to do." He added, casting a pleading glance Dumbledore's way, "A promise to keep. I'll come then."

Dumbledore weighed his options. This was the closest he had come to Harry for several years. And though part of him urged him to simply grab him and apparate, another part of him pressed to trust Harry, to let him return on his own terms.

"Very well, my boy." Dumbledore finally gave in. "Very well." A careful hand pulled out a piece of parchment, and Harry took it. "Everyone will be there to greet you." Slowly Dumbledore turned around and took a few steps away, loathing himself for the mere act of turning his back on the boy. "Oh, and Harry ?" The old man stopped again and turned around, smiling widely at the boy.

"Come home soon."

* * *

_Those words._

_Those aren't your regular words._

_Over a dozen people say that to me whenever they feel I'm about to do something really dangerous, or really stupid._

_I think it's their way to tell me that I should be careful, that whatever I am about to do isn't worth dying for if I have a home and loving friends waiting for my return._

_Well basically it's a very clever manipulation that often works on two types of people,_

_Those weak of mind,_

_And those deprived of love._

_It's safe to say that I am either or both, because it worked._

_Oh yes it worked. And had Dumbledore said something else in that parting moment, I think a lot would have changed, and not for the better._

* * *

Two weeks passed and Fleur Delacour was just as perturbed as she was the day that Harry Potter guided her to safety. Two weeks spent in the Black Manor along with Harry's closest friends and allies, two weeks and no word about her mother and sister. Fleur sat in the living room, her father on a sofa across the room. The disappearance of their family was devastating to him. It not only scared him into resigning of his position, but installed the blame that she and the others were trying their best to cast away.

Her father was drifting away.

Not a long time ago, Laurent Delacour was the image of male perfection. He was always composed, always in control of the situation and by far the best at his work, and the most remarkable father. Now all she saw was the tired eyes, empty gaze and doubtful look in his eyes. Fleur tore her gaze from her father's weak figure, and looked around the room.

Remus Lupin, a friend of Harry's parents stood by the doorway, awaiting the roaring of the flames that would announce Tonks' return from the ministry. He had been hopeful, him and Sirius both, that the auror would bring back news of Harry, whether the ministry had any knowledge of his whereabouts.

Sirius Black was sprawled on a couch, wondering for the millionth time what to do. Sleep was a luxury he hadn't enjoyed since Dumbledore brought Fleur to his house, the girl that had seen his godson alive and well. Sirius had been the easiest for Fleur to figure out. She was the hope in his eyes, the hope to raise Harry as he was tasked to do. She saw the fear that he might never get the chance to do so.

The rest remained upstairs. Hermione, Ron and his little sister never lingered too long around the adults. They were Harry's closest friends, and seeing despair on the faces of the elders wasn't something they could tolerate.

As she sat there, Fleur pondered the mystery that was Harry Potter; All she knew was that an act of defiance, such as fleeing the magical world was something that nobody expected from the quiet obedient boy. Either it was stupidly brave and justified, or it was just an act of cowardice. She couldn't be sure and the fact that her sister and mother couldn't be found made her doubt his promise even more.

The glimpse of green flames coming from the other room made all heads snap in attention at the entrance. The sound of footsteps and a loud thud sent everyone to their feet as they raced toward the fireplace. Just as she got to the door, Fleur let out a cry and rushed over toward her mother and sister throwing her arms around them. Before she could say anything, the fireplace roared to life again and one Harry Potter was spat out on the rug. All movement in the room stopped as everyone waited for Harry to get up. It was only when he didn't move, and a pool of blood appeared leaking from his torso that Sirius rushed over flipping him on his back.

With her arms still around her mother, Fleur looked over at the group that surrounded Harry. She couldn't find it in her heart to let go of her family and see if he was alive. The shaking arms of her father as he joined their embrace erased all thought of concern from her mind.

* * *

_It's easy to tempt death._

_You just throw yourself in a really fucked up situation and forget all about the consequences._

_It's quite pleasurable, the feeling. It gives you a sense of power, of courage, but only for a few seconds._

_Then all you can feel is fear and regret._

_And you'll wish you stayed in bed for the day._

* * *

**_2 Hours later ;_**

"We were kept in a wine cellar for ze first three days." Danielle's shaky voice echoed through the silent room of attentive order members. "On ze fourth day, there was a lot of noise and sounds of battle. Three men rushed in and used portkeys to move us." Laurent's hand covered hers on the table and she gave him a ad smile before continuing, "We were moved to a camp in a forest. Zey kept us chained to trees and zey-zey..." Tears streamed down her cheeks, and Laurent looked desperately at Dumbledore.

"Mrs. Delacour, how did Harry find you ?" The old man asked in a gentle attempt to spare the woman from re-living the experience.

"I do not know. But 'e appeared out of nowhere, he freed me while his friends freed Gabrielle and-"

"His friends ?" Asked Sirius "Who ?"

Danielle shook her head "Je ne sais pas. A tall boy with long black hair and a girl... I did not get a good look at 'er but I'm sure I 'ave never seen zem before."

Dumbledore nodded and held up a hand to stop Sirius from inquiring about the two mysterious aids. "What happened then, madam ?"

"Zose animals came rushing toward us and 'Arry and his friends fought zem. Ze boy got 'urt and 'Arry told 'im to apparate away. I took Gabielle and 'id behind a tree, away from ze path of ze curses until 'Arry 'eld out a portkey for me and Gabrielle. We landed in a field somewhere. 'Arry did not say anything. He apparated us away instantly. Two apparition jumps and we were in a 'ouse. Ze girl from ze battle was zere and she guided us to ze fireplace. Only zen did I see the wound on 'Arry's arm but 'e gave me ze parchment zat had ze address on it and we came 'ere." She finished the tale and looked up at the headmaster.

"I do not feel well, professeur. I apologize but I must go check on Gabrielle."

Dumbledore nodded, "Of course. Apologies for keeping you from your much needed rest."

Danielle nodded as she stood up and left the room with her husband.

"Friends ?" Asked Sirius once the couple was out of earshot. "I thought you said Harry was in the muggle world for three years. When did he make friends that followed him blindly into battle ?"

"I think young Harry has more secrets than we thought. " Reasoned Dumbledore

"This is not the time for your mysterious-wise-old-wizard-bullocks, Albus, I want answers !" Bellowed Sirius as he got up rather abruptly.

"Answers that I don't have." Said Dumbledore "Answers that only Harry can give."

"When he wakes up.." Said Sirius "I want to be the first to talk to him."

"I have no problem with that." Answered Dumbledore with a smile. "But I advise you to tread very carefully. Harry has changed. And his ability to use magic without being traced only adds more layers to the pumpkin."

As Dumbledore walked out of the room and the Fireplace announced his exit, Sirius sighed in frustration "adds more layers to the pumpkin" he mocked "Mental, that man."

Tonks laughed and reached for the water glass on the table when Hermione's head appeared in the doorway. Even if she remained silent, her expression told them all that they needed to know.

"He's coming around."

* * *

**_Five minutes ago :_**

Light.

Blinding light was all that Harry saw as he slowly opened his eyes. Memories of the battle rushed back to his mind and he panicked, attempting to sit up before the pain in his arm made him lay back down with a groan. After a few deep breaths, he slowly opened his eyes again and attempted to make sense of the blurry images his eyes were catching. Carefully he reached a hand to try and find his glasses when he felt them being placed in his palm. As he closed his grip around the much needed item, his fingers came in contact with delicate ones. As soon as he had his spectacles on, the headache caused by his attempt to focus his sight relented, and he let out a sigh of relief as he looked around, catching sight of the person that was sitting on the side of his bed.

"Hello miss Delacour."

She smiled at him and Harry could only return the gesture. "Bonsoir, 'Arry." She whispered. "Your arm was 'urt badly but eet should be 'ealed in a day or so. How are you feeling ?"

"Splendid" He returned "Just another day of my life."

"Oh ? Is that an attempt to impress me, 'Arry ?"

"Hardly." Was his short answer. Fleur frowned at the seriousness of his tone. He surely knew that she was only joking.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" She rushed to explain before he cut her off.

"I kept my promise, didn't I ? You have no reason to act friendly, miss Delacour, you have no reason to be nice to me or thank me for that matter."

Fleur could only stare dumbfounded. "I-I wasn't acting I just-"

"Save me the act, miss Delacour." Harry said with a long sigh "People like us don't exist on your scale of grandeur, we don't exist in your world." He paused and slowly sat up in his bed. "Now if you would excuse me, I need to change. A long day awaits me." Only acknowledging her with a nod, Harry swung his legs off the side of the bed and stood up using his good right arm to steady himself against the wall. Once he was balanced, he headed to the pile of folded clothes on the desk.

Fleur was speechless. His words were painful to hear, and the only reason she remained silent was that she knew why Harry was hostile to her. Her actions in the past displayed no amount of respect toward him, his friends, his school or country for that matter. With a lowered gaze, Fleur made her way out of Harry's room shutting the door behind her. On her way down the staircase, she saw Hermione sitting on one of the steps. Upon her approach, the bushy-haired girl stood up. "'Arry is awake."

Instantly, Hermione wanted to dash toward the room, but decided against it. Almost running down the stairs, she made her way to the living room where the others were to alert them. Popping her head through the doorway, she grinned at the group.

"He's coming around."

Harry could hear her voice as he slowly left his room. With careful steps he made his way downstairs as silence reigned downstairs. It didn't take long for the storm to follow.

Sirius was the first to leave his seat but Remus' hand on his shoulder stopped him before he could go any further. "I think you should let his friends see him first." He said.

"Remus, this isn't a good time to try my patience." Sirius warned.

"He has been gone for three years, if you go in there angry and bombard him, he might just explode. We need to be careful."

"I don't theenk you should worry about 'im exploding." Said Fleur as she took the seat Sirius vacated. "I was already subjected to his bitterness."

"I'm going to-" Sirius began before the boy in question appeared behind Hermione. "Harry" He called in a mere whisper.

The effect was immediate. Hermione turned around and threw her arms around him. Harry winced at the contact with his injured arm but wrapped his good one around his best friend in a comforting embrace, attempting to calm the weeping witch in his arms. Mere seconds passed before Sirius joined the embrace. Everyone else remained silent and unmoving, watching those closest to the boy-who-lived hold him for three years worth of agony.

* * *

_I never admitted it before. But I guess I understand how important, silly things become when you lose them._

_Things like, say, a hug, a friendly smile, sometimes a good old argument to knock some sense back into you._

_Things like family. One would say that I was foolish to ever let such things go, but sadly it isn't that simple._

_It never is if your name is Harry Potter._

_Sometimes, the good things get associated with the bad. "Family - Wizarding world – Voldemort – Pain"_

_You can't have one without the rest._

_The terms may be different for each human being, but that's life for us all._

_Aye, that's life for us all.._

* * *

It was a little over an hour since he woke up, and after the display of affection from his friends and godfather, Harry was put through quite the investigation. "You can't ask me that question. Never again, Sirius, do you understand ?" Though his voice was calm, the warning was clear in Harry's words.

"Why not ?" persisted Sirius, worried of what Harry wanted to hide.

"Because I deserve to have secrets." Answered Harry. He looked around the faces present in the living room. "You can't ask me where I was, how I remained under your radar or why I came back." Everyone fell silent at his words. "Now if you'll hand me my wand, I need to get out of here." Harry stood up and Sirius did the same

"What ? You are NOT going anywhere !" He bellowed.

"No, I have to do this. I need to check up on.. something." Came the boy's answer as he checked the bandages on his arm

"Then I'm coming with you."

Everyone looked over at Harry in silence as they awaited his answer. "Aren't you a wanted escapee ? I'll be spotted."

"In that case.." Sirius looked around the table. Remus and Tonks left almost an hour ago to prepare for the night's full moon. Dumbledore had yet to return and all that was left was Hermione, Ron and Fleur. "Everyone here is of age. One of them can go with you."

Harry chuckled "How lovely. My options are either known associates of Harry Potter or a Veela. A flawless plan, I fail to see how that wouldn't draw attention."

"Harry, why won't you let us-" Sirius pleaded, only to be stopped by his godson's glare.

"Let you what, help ?" He asked. More silence greeted his question and he sighed in frustration, his expression softening. "Sirius I need you to trust me. I'll be back, I promise. I won't disappear again."

Sirius frowned, struggling to make a decision. "Fine." He finally cracked. "Will you be back tonight ?"

Harry nodded, "In a few hours at most. Just don't get all barmy if I'm late." Sirius nodded and Harry waited for a few seconds before clearing his throat, "My wand ?"

Sirius glanced at Fleur and she returned his gaze. He nodded at her and she left her seat, pulling Harry's wand from the cabinet before walking over to him. She purposefully let her fingers brush against his as she placed the wand in his palm. Why she did that, she would never know. Yet she half expected a reaction from him at the contact but he merely looked over at Sirius, not giving her a second glance. "Can I apparate from inside the house ?"

Sirius shook his head, "No, Dumbledore placed wards to prevent those, you'll have to use the floo or go outside to apparate."

"You can apparate ? Aren't you supposed to have a license for that ?" Asked a curious Fleur.

Harry simply raised an eyebrow at her while Hermione attempted a smile, "I'll stay up tonight and wait for you, Harry, we hardly had an hour to talk to you ."

Harry grinned at her, "I'll try not to take too long." With that, Harry turned and left the room passing the staircase and down the narrow corridor toward the front door.

Fleur waited until she heard the door click shut before turning to Sirius "'Arry doesn't like me, does he?"

Sirius smirked "I'd rather not answer that. He's been acting different toward us all, but whenever you're around I could almost swear he had a standard size twelve Nimbus lodged up his rear end."

* * *

_That was one more thing that I needed to apologize for._

_But if I allowed them to see how weak I was at times like that, I don't know know what would have happened._

_I couldn't bear to be pitied _

_Not by those I cared about._

_A fool, I was, I know, for expecting pity rather than support._

_But back then.. I didn't know how much strength love can inspire._

_I had to learn that lesson the hard way._


	3. Romanian Fury

_DISCLAIMER: _**Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Harry Potter, and neither do you.**

**A/N : **Thanks for the support in the reviews. It urged me to keep writing (And made nervous about screwing things up) But it's really appreciated. With that out of the way :

**CHAPTER 2 : Romanian Fury .**

* * *

_Loyalty._

_A deadly weapon._

_Remember that._

* * *

Godric's hollow.

A small quiet town.

It took a few months for Harry to find it, and just over a few weeks to repair the house where his parents were murdered, where life was stolen from him. As Harry walked down the street, as he saw the lights coming from the houses on a wonderful July night, he once more felt the pain that he had grown accustomed to. He clenched a fist in frustration, trying to the best of his ability to close the lid on his emotions, yet it was for naught. The ruins of the Potter home were in sight and Harry kept walking toward it. He made sure to apparate to London first, just to see if anyone followed him before once more disappearing into thin air, only to find himself in the land of his lost childhood, where the Potters made their final stand.

As soon as he reached the fence and walked past the wards that he and his friends placed upon the house, the ruins were no longer there. Instead, the house looked magnificent, the light coming from the window could almost trick him into believing that his parents were inside. Harry shook his head and walked to the door. He placed his palm against the wood and it clicked open. Quite the clever trick designed by Cosmina. The voices coming from inside pulled him from his thoughts and he stepped inside.

For a long time, Harry thought that beside the Weasleys, friends were an impossibility. Yet after running away, and two years of blissful silence, guilt won over comfort and Harry was lost, in need for companionship, in need for guidance. And just as he tried to make a difference, to make amends, two Romanian companions found their way to him. And though Sirius kept asking who the two Danielle described were, he refused to answer every time.

Just as he entered the house, Harry spotted the two that he longed to see. Abraham was on the couch, poking at a spot on his chest while Cosmina slapped his hand. "Stop touching it ! Let me take a look."

"It feels funny."

"That's because it's a wound, moron."

"Wounds are supposed to hurt. This one doesn't even sti-Aaaah !" He howled in pain as she flicked a finger at the wound.

"Exactly."

Harry couldn't hold his laughter, and the sound caught the two's attention. Cosmina stood up and crossed her arms over her chest . "Took you long enough." She huffed.

"I fainted when I got them to safety." He replied as he made his way into the living room. "What happened to you ?" He pointed at Abraham and took a seat on a sofa.

"I don't know really. I think it was a cutting curse or something like that." Abraham shrugged.

"Are the girl and the mother alright ?" Asked Cosmina. Though Harry sensed how unconcerned she sounded, he didn't point it out.

"They're alright, I think. I didn't stay around long enough to check up on them." Harry said

"And the others ? How did they react when they saw you ?" Abraham inquired

"They.. they were just glad that I was alright." He replied after a few seconds of hesitation, "Almost didn't let me leave the house."

"You promised them that you would go back there, didn't you ?" Accused Cosmina.

"Mina, I had to." Harry reasoned "They didn't really give me much of a choice."

"I thought we agreed that you would steer clear of them." She began pacing across the room, her anger evident on her face." I thought we agreed that they weren't ready to do what was necessary to win this fight. I thought you weren't going to show yourself to them at all."

"And do tell, how do you plan to fight a war against Voldemort without being noticed by Dumbledore and his order ?" Harry asked as he stood from his seat and looked helplessly at Abraham. The boy in question simply shook his head, silently stating that he would not take part in this argument.

"So what do you suggest ? You'll go back to being Albus Dumbledore's pawn ? Wait in a muggle's house until Voldemort comes to end you and the world as you know it ?" She bellowed, her voice rising with each question.

Silence..

Complete silence..

Harry turned away from her and toward the fireplace,"I can give them a little peace of mind." He whispered. Cosmina stopped pacing and watched him attentively "Albus Dumbledore did what he did for the right reasons, I can't hold it against him, I can only respect him.. But I can give them a little peace of mind, a bit of comfort.. And.. They can give me some too." He added after a moment.

Cosmina pressed her lips together. She looked at Abraham, and he only gave her a sympathetic smile and a slow nod. The girl almost growled in frustration "Three days." She said and Harry turned to look at her. Green eyes met blue ones and she nodded "Three days and that is all. You do whatever you need to do and then we continue with our plans."

Harry nodded silently. Cosmina moved forward, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder "Once it's all over.. Perhaps then you can.." He nodded and she squeezed his shoulder gently. With a sigh, she stepped out of the living room, patting Abraham's head on the way and disappearing up the stairs.

"It still feels funny." Abraham's voice snapped Harry out his daze and he found the boy studying his wound intently.

"That means it's going to hurt like fucking hell tonight." Said Harry as he stepped toward the couch, "Are you sure you're alright ?"

"Of course. But Harry ?" He frowned, "Why exactly did we go after those two ? You seemed rather determined to save them."

"Isn't that what we are supposed to do ?" Asked a confused Harry.

"Yes, but you know what I mean."

"I made a promise, mate. And I kept it." His thoughts drifted back to Fleur "I kept it." He repeated.

"Hm. That simple ?" Abraham yawned and shook his head "Alright, I'm getting woozy. Care to help an injured hero up the stairs ?"

Harry raised a brow "I am not tucking you in."

Abraham grinned "Not to worry, mate. Mina'll take care of that."

"Ha" Carefully, Harry put his good arm under Abraham's and pulled him to his feet. "You wish."

* * *

_Loyalty_

_Fucking deadly, I tell you._

* * *

_"Save me the act, miss Delacour." _

_"People like us don't exist on your scale of grandeur, we don't exist in your world."_

Harry's words still echoed in Fleur' mind, and she reckoned that given hours to muster up a reply, she would come up with nothing. Harry did have a point. All throughout the year that she met him, Fleur was hostile to him for no other reason than the ones relayed to her by some of his own classmates. At the time, she thought that Harry Potter was nothing but an attention seeking brat with too much ego than is healthy. Even after his disappearance, Fleur's first thoughts were that he was but a coward, faking an escape to attract even more attention. But the problem was that Harry Potter, the Harry Potter that rescued her from a near-death situation, rescued her mother and got injured in the process, was nothing like that;

He succeeded where others failed. He succeeded where he shouldn't have.

He succeeded when he didn't even have to.

The thoughts running through her mind elicited a groan from her and she left the room she was sharing with her sister. Careful not to make too much noise, Fleur headed for the kitchen where she prepared a mug of coffee and sat down at the table with it;

Did Harry change ? Or did she only just realize who he really was ? If she was beginning to see him for what he truly was, then all that she had done in the past had been pure snobbish jealousy, a fake feeling of pride and ego. If that were the case, Harry's words were true.

"Fleur ?"

Fleur immediately looked up to find Hermione watching her "Can't sleep ?" Hermione asked as she stepped into the kitche and took a seat at the table.

"Non." Fleur attempted a smile but failed "Too much on my mind, I suppose."

"It'll be alright." Assured Hermione "Your family is safe."

"Oui, but for 'Ow long ? We cannot keep hiding forever."

"It'll be over soon. Professor Dumbledore said that the kidnappers were all apprehended."

"He also said zey all had ze mark. You know what zat means, oui ?" Asked Fleur "It means we cannot be safe until ze dark lord is gone."

Hermione fell silent for a few moments. "He will be." She nodded, as if the convince herself "Harry's back."

"Eet seems as if everyone lost hope until he came back." Fleur noted.

"We did." Hermione said truthfully. "Harry is… Harry _is _ hope.. When we lost him, we lost everything."

"And you believe 'Arry can defeat him ? You think 'Arry can defeat a wizard zat even Dumbledore couldn't defeat ?"

Hermione opened her mouth to state that she had faith in Harry, that she knew how capable he was of doing whatever he wished to do. But a voice came from the doorway before she could utter a word.

"Add Dumbledore to any sentence and every wizard in the room would feel like a squib."

Hermione turned to regard Harry. He was leaning against the doorway, eyes fixed on Fleur. The French witch kept her gaze on the mug in front of her, embarrassed that Harry heard her doubts of his abilities.

"But I guess we will just have to wait and see, eh ?" He said, "If he dies, you'll know you're wrong. If I die, you'll probably have a day or two to dance on my grave and say 'I told you so' before getting hurtled down death's abyss; No worries though, I hear it's quite elegant for an abyss. It should be a graceful fall too, but who am I to say if it fits your standards ?."

"Putain de merde, il est un idiot !" Fleur screeched, her anger at Harry's casual tone as he spoke lightly of death causing her to curse in French.

"My oh my, someone didn't have their croisson this morning." Harry smirked as he sat next to an amused Hermione.

"Stop eet !" Fleur yelled at him, effectively capturing his attention when a tear slid down her cheek. "Is zat what you see when you look at me ? A spoilt French brat ? 'Ow can you be so narrow-minded ?"

"Well I apologize, miss Delacour." Harry faked an apologetic expression "But isn't that what you always were ? Did you not say on many occasions that _I _ was a spoilt English brat ?"

"I did not know !" She argued.

"well I don't either, so fucking live with it."

"You will stop treating me zis way."

"That should be easy if you stay away from me and keep me out of your conversations."

"Just because I owe you my life, just because you saved my family from death does not mean zat you can-"

"YOU don't owe me anything !" Bellowed Harry.

"Harry" warned Hermione, but her best friend was far too angry to see reason. "You do NOT owe me anything and neither does your family. Do not think this to be a kindness on my end, I was born to do this. I would do it all over again for people far more irritating than you !" He stabbed a finger in Fleur's direction, "I'm in this fight because I was meant to. Not because I love the magical world, not because I give a bloody fuck about people like you, but because this is personal, because no one else can deal with Riddle, because I can and will end it, for my parents, for the life I should have had, and for my own fucking satisfaction !"

Both girls kept silent, astonished by the unexpected behavior of the normally quiet boy. Harry seemed to take notice of his outbreak and took a few deep breaths. "This isn't about you, miss Delacour. Soon enough, you'll be safe, and though I will do my best to insure it, do not take it personally, I would do that for those I love, just as I would it for those that I truly despise. Understood ?"

Harry waited for a few moments but there was no reaction. "I asked you a question, miss Delacour."

Fleur looked up at him, tried to come up with an argument or a witty insult, but.. "Oui"

"Splendid." Harry turned to Hermione, "Living room ?"

The girl nodded and gave him a sad smile, "I'll be there in a second."

Harry shrugged and walked off to the living room. Hermione turned to the French girl that she had once hated and regarded her with a look of sympathy, "It's tough for him at this time, Fleur, he isn't usually like that, he didn't mean to.. to.."

"He meant every word." Fleur whispered.

Hermione nodded in agreement, seeing no reason to try and convince her the opposite. "Well, you weren't always nice to him. And Harry despises bigots- no offense- but I know that he'll get over it soon."

"I was too young, too stupid, I didn't know better." Fleur tried to grasp at one, just one reason to justify her behavior.

"Well.." Hermione got up, "He did, back then. He knew better." Hermione sighed, "And he was even younger than you."

At that moment, Fleur respected the girl's honesty, her way of getting the point across.

"Good night, Fleur."

"Good night."

* * *

_There were healthier ways to unleash my anger._

_I could have hexed the crap out of a doll. Ha ! I could have destroyed another headmaster's office._

_Yet I chose to take it all out on a fragile girl that was once mean to me.._

_Just like the rest of the world was mean to me._

_It was stupid, I know, I know, but if we were able to control our anger, it wouldn't be such an intense feeling anymore._

_And I couldn't have that, no sir._

_Because I fucking fed on it. _

* * *

**_Three years ago :_**

**_Two weeks before the first task of the Triwizard tournament :_**

_"Alors, c'est vous le survivant ? Le célèbre 'Arry Potter ? " Fleur smirked as she regarded the confused expression on the boy's face._

_"Huh ? I'm sorry but I don't speak-" Harry blurted out before giggles from behind the girl drove him silent, his confusion growing even more._

_"I should 'ave expected ignorance from a spoilt English brat, but I had hoped zat you weren't all I thought you were. I believe you are even worst." More laughter from the French girls all around and Harry bit his tongue to refrain from doing something reckless. "Listen, I'm just trying to tell you tha-" _

_"Zat you survived the killing curse ? Zat you're famous ? Is zat an attempt to impress me ?" Fleur adopted a look of disgust "Too low.. Even for you."_

_Harry fell silent, he simply couldn't walk away without warning her about the first task, no that would be too harsh of a payback. He only had to swallow his pride, ignore the public humiliation and simply say it. "Dragons." He said calmly, "That's the first task." Fleur's eyes widened at the implications of his words. "Good luck." He added before turning away, Ron closely following. Strangely, no laughter echoed behind him, no the sight of Harry Potter was only funny when he was the topic being discussed, but now that his words had weight, had importance, Harry Potter wasn't funny anymore._

_"Why did you tell her ?" Asked an angry Ron._

_"That was the reason we went there in the first place, you were pretty excited about it this morning." _

_"Yeah, that was when she was an angelic being." _

_Harry raised a brow "Oh that's rich. And in your opinion, she somehow ceased to be an "angelic being" in the past five minutes ?"_

_Ron punched Harry's shoulder and chuckled as his best friend began to laugh. "Angels don't act like that."_

_"I should hope so." Said Harry as he rubbed his shoulder, "Otherwise, logically speaking, dearest Snape would be an angel."_

_"ugh" Groaned Ron as he turned around to face Harry, "You do know images such as Snape wearing a Beauxbatons outfit and speaking in a French accent are really hard to forget." Just then Ron closed his eyes, knowing very well why Harry didn't explode in laughter, and why he was frantically shaking his head._

_"20 points from Gryffindor." Came the potions master's voice from behind him. "And detention tonight, Weasley. We'll see if we can find a Beauxbatons outfit that fits you."_

* * *

_Aren't I glad that I always, always got over all that they said and did to me. But, I wonder…_

_Didn't my accusations stand true after all ? Didn't they deserve my hostility ?_

_Wasn't I right all along ?_

_Why should I give them a second chance when they didn't even give me a first one ?_

_Because I'm a good person, right, right.._

_I'm getting sick of hearing that excuse, really._

* * *

**_The night after the last task :_**

_It was a cold night that found Harry sitting at the top of the astronomy tower. It was the night that Cedric Diggory lost his life, and all his peers would be losing sleep over the fear of what was coming, over eagerness to return home the next day. He was sitting on the cold floor reading John Steinbeck's "Travels with Charley."; He not only read that book because he enjoyed it, but also because it was the one thing that helped make the most grievous of all nights somewhat bearable. That paperback was his tool, his weapon, his defense mechanism against sadness and grief. It kept his mind occupied when he needed it the most. That's why for four years in the magical world, he read the entire book all the way through in a single sitting._

_"What are you doing 'ere ?" Asked a familiar voice from behind him._

_Harry was too tired, too sad to care. He only flipped the page, continuing to read, hoping to find in it the distraction, the absolute mind freezing distraction, but he knew he couldn't._

_"I asked you a question, Potter."_

_Again, no answer, and the voice echoed against the walls of the empty tower._

_"Potter ?" Asked the voice again, much much softer than before._

_"What do you want ?" Harry finally snapped, turning around to look at Fleur._

_"I asked you what you were doing 'ere." _

_"What does it look like I'm doing ?"_

_"Reading a book. But zat is not what I asked."_

_"I'm avoiding everybody." He answered before turning back to his book._

_"Why ?"_

_"Why would I avoid everyone on this particular night, miss Delacour ?"_

_"Because you wouldn't want to be asked how Cedric died, but again, that is not what I asked."_

_"Because I can't be around others and not see them all dying. I don't want to see that at the moment."_

_"Don't you think zat's a bit selfish ?"_

_"I know it is, but then again the broom is so far up my ass that I don't care anymore."_

_"Pardon ?"_

_"Never mind." Harry said before frowning. He was having a conversation with Fleur Delacour ? "Why are you here again ?"_

_"I wanted to see how you were doing, I wanted to visit in ze hospital wing but-"_

_"But your friends and everyone else in the castle would notice."_

_Fleur hesitated, then figured that honesty would be better than lies "Yes."_

_"Don't you think that's a bit selfish, miss Delacour ?"_

_"No."_

_"Interesting. Now why exactly would you want to see how I'm doing ?"_

_"I do not know, 'Arry. I just wanted to see you."_

_Silence reigned over the tower, and Fleur kept watching the boy's back, awaiting a reaction. _

_"You may leave now, miss Delacour."_

_"What ?" She asked confused and surprised. She expected him to be more fragile when she followed him up here, that he would seek comfort in her, and that he would respect her after having avoided her almost all year long. On many occasions she tried to provoke a confrontation, hoping that he would feel uncomfortable around her, that she would show everyone that even Harry Potter couldn't form a sentence around her. A childish aim, but it was an aim nonetheless. Yet Harry always remained composed and simply walked away whenever she was done talking._

_"I said that you may leave." Harry repeated._

_"Do you want me to leave ?"_

_"Yes, very much so." Harry confirmed._

_Fleur opened her mouth to speak but she had no words to say. What could she say after all ? In her eagerness to keep him talking, Harry urged her to admit that she was ashamed of being noticed checking on him in the hospital wing._

_"We are leaving in ze morning." She muttered, feeling for the first time uncomfortable around another human being, maybe because this was the one person that showed no interest in her. "I wanted to say zat I'm sorry you had to go through it all."_

_"Thank you, miss Delacour."_

_"Call me Fleur." She urged, encouraged by his last muttered words._

_"Goodbye, miss Delacour." _

_Fleur stood there, unable to approach him and unwilling to leave. Perhaps he didn't deserve the unkindness that she showed him, perhaps, just perhaps there was more to Harry Potter than what the papers said. Perhaps it was only jealousy, perhaps it was concealed hope that drove everyone to attack the boy, perhaps it was fear of what he represented, of what he reminded everyone of._

_And perhaps he was exactly what they thought he was._

Fleur woke with a gasp. The memories of past events haunted her dreams that night, and it made her feel uncomfortable. The unexplainable, illogical weight on her chest frightened her, and for some reason, she blamed herself for the sensation.

What did they call that feeling again ?

Ah, yes.

Guilt.

That morning was the same as the previous ones in the Black home. The house always roared with life, full with freedom fighters and helpless men and women who sought shelter. The news of Harry Potter's return spread relief and excitement in the hearts of those that she had seen despair over two weeks, and try as she might, she couldn't help but hope that this boy would be their salvation.

As she walked down the stairs and into the vacant kitchen, Fleur caught sight of Harry fixing himself a drink at the cabin. The boy didn't seem to notice her presence and continued his task while humming a tune. For the first time in her life, Fleur hesitated, she wondered whether she should go back upstairs and return when he was elsewhere, or apologize and get over with it. Either way, she stood there, conflicted and troubled until Harry turned around.

Green eyes gazed at her and she couldn't help but feel scared. Not fearing him as a person, nor as a wizard, but as a boy that truly had every right to hate her.

"Bonjour, 'Arry." She said, attempting to break the silence.

"Yes it is." Harry said as he took a sip of his drink.

"A bit too early for drinking, no ?"

"Only for those with comfort to spare."

"I'll join you for a drink zen if you don't mind."

"I fear that saying ' I do mind' might make me sound cruel."

"Listen, 'Arry." She began, attempting to gain some sort of chance. "I wanted to talk to you."

Harry sighed "A drink it is then." He turned to the cabin and pulled out the same bottle he had used earlier. "I'm listening."

"I wanted to apologize for everything." She blurted out "I wasn't the kindest of people to you, and I truly am sorry for zat."

"Fair enough." Harry said "Apology accepted." He handed her the glass and turned to leave.

"Zat's eet ?" She asked before she could restrain herself.

"Why yes, did you expect a hug ?"

"Non, but I expected you to deny me forgiveness"

"Oh no, miss Delacour." Harry said with a chuckle. "The whole world I fight for used to treat me that way, even worst."

"And yet here you are. Attempting to keep it safe." She whispered.

Harry bowed slightly "Yet here I am."

"When you accepted ze apology. Were those empty words ?" She asked

"Yes." He stated simply.

"Zen why did you say zem ?"

"Because as long as people believe that they are forgiven, they will feel better about themselves and less comfortable around me, which keeps them at a distance usually." Harry clarified casually.

"But 'Arry, I truly am sorry." She insisted.

"I know." Harry said "And I'm over it, truly. I don't even think about the past, that doesn't mean that I have to like you though."

"Logical." She remarked.

"Snitch in a glove." Silence ensued for a few more moments before Harry finished his drink and faced her again. "Anything else, miss Delacour ?"

"Call me Fleur." She urged.

"We are not that type of acquaintances." Harry replied.

"Zen what type are we ?"

"The type that says good morning, good night, compliments the weather, smiles occasionally and waves from a distance."

"You forgot saving lives." She added.

"That's work."

"It's more zan zat to me."

"Nothing but business to me."

"Zat's a lie."

"And you know that, how exactly ?"

"Because I know zat you care."

"About you ?" Harry asked with a chuckle.

"About everyone."

"What can I say ?" Asked Harry, smirking. "I love my job."

Fleur couldn't help but laugh. Here they were, having a somewhat serious discussion not a few seconds ago, and he manages to make her laugh mere seconds afterwards. "Very cute, 'Arry."

"I aim to please."

"Yet you mock fate." Fleur stated as she took a seat at the table. "A bit foolish, non ?"

"Perhaps." Said Harry, deep in thought, "Though I doubt it could get more fucked up than this."

"Do you have to use such words ?" Fleur propped her elbow on the table, placing her chin on her upraised palm.

"Oh yes. No other word could really describe just how bad the situation is. It feels good too."

"So you do not possess ze faith zat your friends do ? You do not believe zat you will defeat him ?"

"I believe I will either defeat him or die trying." Harry said "They tend to choose the.. happier scenario."

"Oh ? Why do you suppose zey do ?"

"Because they're human."

"And you don't because you aren't ?" Asked Fleur, her previous nervousness forgotten.

"I'm different." Harry stated as he poured himself another drink.

"You're drunk." Said Fleur as she started laughing.

"You're delusional." Harry answered.

"You didn't answer me, 'Arry. Why do you not believe zat your destiny is to defeat him and live ?"

"Because I believe destiny is our own to carve." He said, "I have the ability to defeat him. Whether or not I do, is still to be written."

"Very wise, 'Arry. You almost sound every bit ze charming hero."

"Appreciated, but you don't know me well enough to call me that, we're mere acquaintances, remember ?."

"And here we are, far beyond ze boundaries of our limited interactions, as ze acquaintances zat you said we were."

Harry turned to face her, an eyebrow raised in amusement. "I suppose we are." In a quick move, Harry tipped back the glass and downed the rest of the amber liquid it contained. "As pleasant as this is, I'll have to cut it short."

"Au revoir, 'Arry."

"Adios, miss Delacour." And with that, Harry Potter left the room.

Fleur smiled as she pondered the past few minutes. At least Harry was a bit more civil to her. Perhaps it was the alcohol's effect, yet it was nice to have a normal conversation with him for the first time. She couldn't help but wonder if this meant that she was truly forgiven, that she could be one of his supporting friends rather than a reminder of how cruel people can be.

She sat there for a few minutes, staring at the untouched glass in front of her before getting up to empty it in the sink. Fleur took a deep breath and tried to clear her thoughts.

* * *

_Give them a smile and a friendly line and they'll call you a friend._

_Give them bad news.._

_Well_

_They'll probably try to fuck you over;_

* * *

"Harry !" Screamed Sirius as he watched Harry appear in a flash of blue light in the Hogsmeade town square. When he had arrived to counter the death eater attack that the order caught news of, he was sure that Harry wasn't anywhere near the house to hear the news. Yet here he appeared in the middle of a losing battle. Another flash of blue light and a boy appeared next to Harry. And then another, and a girl emerged on his other side. If the situation wasn't life-threatening, Sirius would have been impressed by their appearance. He attempted to run toward his godson, but a death eater seemed to remind him of his presence, and their duel continued.

Harry erected a shield as a curse flew his way. The way that he stood inspired courage in the hearts of the present order members. A few seconds and the three ran into battle.

Albus Dumbledore bound the death eater he had stunned and levitated him in a careless flick on the pile of unconscious duelers that he had bested since his arrival. As he looked up, he caught sight of Harry as he tore through Death eaters with a ferocity that he had yet to see in the boy. The other two were unknown to him, yet the way that they dueled, the way that they moved was all too familiar.

Harry kept his wand leveled at the masked man that kept trying to curse him and continued to deflect his attack. A quick glance to his right and he noticed that Sirius wasn't doing so well. In a sudden move, Harry erected another shield and turned to aim his wand at the man that was about to strike down his godfather and uttered a blasting curse that caught the man in the chest. Before long, he was back to his own battle, leaving a confused Sirius to look around frantically in search for his wand.

"Harry !" He heard Cosmina's voice and turned just in time to see her running toward him, a curse already on her lips with his opposing dueler's name on it. "The Malfoys are here." She yelled over the noise of the battle.

Harry smiled. He had been waiting for the chance to get the Malfoys. "You're all good here ?" He asked.

"Oh fucking go already !" She yelled back at him and he turned around to run in the direction she had come from.

It was quieter away from the town square. The battle hadn't reached the homes and shops, yet the different colors and lights were enough to be noticed from afar. It was only a matter of seconds before he noticed that familiar figure.

"Expelliarmus !" Lucius' wand was out of his grasp before that he fully understood what was happening. His son turned to Harry and sent a curse only to have it sidestepped. "Hello, Malfoys."

"Father, it's Potter !"

"Your knack for stating the obvious is quite amusing, Draco." Said Harry as he stepped forward.

"You insolent little-" Began Lucius before falling silent as he caught Harry's expression. The boy kept advancing and Lucius took a step back, then another before Draco followed.

"Don't worry." Said Harry as he lifted his wand "This will only hurt a little."

* * *

_Oh I lied._

_It hurt a lot more than just a little._

_Now in my opinion, that was a better, healthier way to diffuse my anger. Better hurt the Malfoys than yell at Fleur Delacour._

_Many would think that I shouldn't have done all that I did to them that night, that I wasn't that type of people._

_Well I disagree. _

_They deserved what they got and consequences be damned but I wasn't fighting this war just to save the innocent, but also to punish the guilty. _

_I should write that down again, just because it sounded awesome._

_"I wasn't fighting this war just to save the innocent, but also to punish the guilty."_

* * *

"Three dead, twenty-six injured and the rest got away." Tonks was reading from an official ministry parchment in the living room of the Black manor. "How many casualties on our side ?"

"Aleor and Nopholius lost their lives. Almost half the rest were injured." Said Sirius as he leaned back in his chair.

Silence followed his words and Dumbledore looked around the faces of those present. "And what of Harry ?" He asked.

"Someone called my name ?" Said Harry as he stepped into the room, followed by his two unknown friends.

Fleur sighed in relief. She wanted nothing more than to get up and throw her arms around him, just for the sake of appearing at the exact moment that hope was needed in the room. Everyone relaxed visibly as they saw him.

"Harry, my boy !" Greeted Dumbledore with a smile. "We were beginning to worry."

"Nothing to worry about, Headmaster." Harry waved his hand "I'm alive, aren't I ?"

"I find myself wondering." The old man said "If it was one of you that encountered Lucius and Draco Malfoy tonight."

"Oh ?" Asked Harry.

"Yes, you see. I was alerted of their presence in the St Mungo's extreme injuries facility."

"That would be me." Said Harry with a nod.

"And what were you thinking ?" Bellowed Sirius as he left his seat. "What in the name of seven hells were you thinking when you attacked them so viciously ?"

"I wasn't really thinking." Said Harry "It's hard to think when a killing curse if flying toward you. I think it might be the color, it disorientates me a bit."

"We do not hurt people, Harry !" Yelled Sirius again as he advanced toward the boy, "We are not like them !"

Just as he was a few feet away, the girl's wand was pointed at his head. Sirius stopped in his tracks, and Harry's hand shot up to grab her wrist, slowly lowering her wand arm.

"We DO NOT kill !" Sirius yelled again.

"AND THAT IS WHY YOU ARE LOSING THE FUCKING WAR !" Harry yelled back. "You can't seem to understand this, all of you." He raged as he regarded the rest of them. "Defending yourselves, punishing them, does NOT make you like them !"

"Harry-" Began Dumbledore gently.

"No offense, sir, but I honestly need to fucking clarify something here." He said as he turned to face the old man.

"We fight for a cause. For a righteous cause and those bastards out there killed your family, your friends, your allies or innocent people that had nothing to do with anything. Those people DO NOT have a cause. They kill for the pleasure of their master and they take their sweet time laughing at it." Harry turned to Sirius, seemingly irritated by his godfather's words "They killed James and Lily !" He yelled at the man, "I WILL avenge them !" Silence followed his outburst. Harry was aware that he may have seemed like an angry child, nothing like the hero that they expected, but the rage in him wouldn't allow him to care about the impression he was making.

Sirius could only stare, not knowing whether to feel bad for his childhood friends or try to talk some sense into their son.

"If you can't understand that you must do whatever it takes, then you will die !" He added before turning to head for the kitchen, his two companions silently followed him. It only took Fleur a few moments to make her decision, and she left the room behind them.

She found Harry at the cabinet, fixing himself a drink. The boy was on a seat, while the girl hopped on the table.

"Now is really not the time, Miss Delacour." Harry said without even turning around. It surprised Fleur that he was aware of her presence.

"Hello." Said the boy and flashed her a smile. The word seemed to catch the girl's attention and she turned around to look at her for a few seconds before facing Harry again.

"What can I do for you, miss Delacour ?" Asked Harry.

"Rien. I just wanted to see if you're alright." She replied.

Harry chuckled, "Making a habit of it, are you ?"

"Are you complaining, 'Arry ?"

"I'm Abraham." Said the boy suddenly as he left his seat and walked to stand next to the girl "And since Harry is very ill-mannered and can't seem to introduce us, this is Cosmina."

"Enchantée." Fleur inclined her head in their direction.

"Now you went and told her our names, you git !" Said the girl as she slapped the back of his head.

"Ow!" He raised a hand to his head "No violence !"

Fleur was amused by the interaction, whilst Harry's face showed no emotion. His eyes were cold as they bored into hers and she couldn't help the chill of fear that she felt down her spine.

"Why do you keep attempting to talk to me, miss Delacour ?"

Harry's question took her by surprise, and her eyes went wide as she realized what type of conversation it was going to be around his two friends.

"I want to be your friend, 'Arry, I just-"

"Oh please, I have never been even remotely kind to you, yet you keep trying."

"I-I don't know." She gave her honest answer.

"Is it guilt that drives you, miss Delacour ? Is it redemption you seek ?"

"Please 'Arry, can we talk about zis elsewhere ?"

Harry fell silent for a few seconds, still regarding her with that cold gaze. "The headmaster needs you."

She frowned as she struggled to make sense of his last statement, but before she could ask what he meant, Dumbledore's voice came from the doorway, "Miss Delacour, if I may have a word ?"

Fleur gave Harry a puzzled look before following the old man from the kitchen.

"Weird, that girl." Stated Cosmina.

"Oh please." Said Abraham "That girl is perfect !"

"She's hiding something." Harry said, capturing his friends' attention, "She's either after something or she's hiding something, either way, Fleur Delacour isn't being completely honest.

* * *

_I'm sorry, Fleur._

_But a man such as myself, a man with so many enemies has a unique way of thinking._

_My mind couldn't grasp that people could change if given a chance. _

_My mind couldn't fathom why you wanted to be my friend._

_I have nothing but pain and blood in my future, whilst you have a world to explore._

_If any doubts existed back then.._

_They are but gone now, my love._

_I was possessed by anger, by doubt, _

_And I was surrounded by echoes of Romanian fury._

_I'm not blaming my two allies, no, not at all._

_Yet I wish I hadn't shared their anger._

_I wish I had given you a chance._

* * *

"Is everything alright, Monsieur ?" Asked a worried Fleur as she sat on the edge of her bed.

Sirius entered the room and Dumbledore closed the door; "Oh nothing to worry about, miss Delacour" Said the old man.

"But it's important." Added Sirius.

"Alright zen. What is eet ?" She asked curiously.

"It's about Harry, Fleur." Said Sirius, causing the girl to glance at him with confusion.

"After tonight's events.." Sighed Dumbledore, "I fear for Harry's well-being. He has changed significantly, and if we do not act now, we might even lose him very soon."

"Excuse ze question, headmaster." Said Fleur. "But why are you telling me zis ?"

"I have a task for you, miss Delacour." Said Dumbledore.

"And we would owe the world for it." Said Sirius,

"What is eet ?"

"We need your help to keep Harry sane." Muttered the old man.

Fleur waited for him to continue. Only when he didn't, she spoke, "What do you mean ?"

"Harry feeds on emotion, miss Delacour. So far, they have been negative emotions. If we can change them into positive ones.." The old man trailed off and Fleur caught his meaning.

"Absolutely not." She stated, shaking her head.

"We aren't asking you to do anything you don't want to." Sirius rushed to clarify, "Just that you try to be there for him. He has been completely silent around Ron and Hermione, we can only turn to you."

"I cannot." She said, "I cannot ! He doesn't want to be friendly to me, he despises ze very idea of everything I am."

"We wouldn't ask unless it was a matter of grave importance." Said Dumbledore, "If Harry loses himself along the way, we might as well take our own lives. He's destined to take Voldemort to the gates of death."

"Destiny is our own to carve, headmaster." She repeated Harry's words, "Please, find someone else. I cannot deceive him, I cannot lie and make him think zat-"

"If anyone is capable of deception in this house, no offense, Miss Delacour, but it would certainly be you." Sirius said, "You and the headmaster here, but that's not important right now."

Dumbledore merely chuckled. "Miss Delacour.." He began, causing her to look up at him, her gaze trapped in the twinkling blue eyes. "I beg of you."

Everything seemed to slow down to a stop, and Fleur couldn't think clearly. The two men watched her closely as she debated what to do. She was sure that something would go wrong with this plan, or maybe she simply didn't want to slip back into that person again.

She held her breath as the headmaster's eyes seemed to bore into hers.

* * *

_Well fuck then._

_Isn't anyone sincere and honest these days ?_

_Eh well, they were on my side after all, and if my allies wanted to trick me for good reason, then I guess.._

_I guess I can't really blame them._

_Not then, not now ,not ever._

_Because though the ride was painful,_

_I'd go through it all over again._

* * *

**_A/N : _**** Hmmm, now what will Fleur say ? Wait for it, wait for it, if she says yes, don't assume an evil-Fleur or evil-Dumbledore type of thing, and if she says no, do not assume her to be the oh-so-gentle-rainbows-out-of-her-rear-end Fleur, just a little intervention to spur the events into motion. Until the next chapter.**


	4. Angel in the Distance

_DISCLAIMER : _**Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Harry Potter, and neither do you.**

**A/N : **Again, thanks for the reviews, but I wanted to clarify something. There was something about my way of portraying the first task warning that may have given some the wrong idea about the characters. . The next chapters will make such things clear, because in time, you'll see that this isn't the same Harry, or Ron. Part of the reason that I wrote that flashback is to emphasize that Ron is not the same, never got jealous of Harry during their fourth year. All the characters are a bit different, and I hope I wouldn't mess them up or take things too far. Anyway, thanks for the words of encouragement, thank you for the criticism, and for the different pieces of advice, they have been most helpful and encouraging..

**Chapter 3 : An angel in the distance.**

_"Destiny is our own to carve, headmaster."_

_"If anyone is capable of deception in this house, no offense, Miss Delacour, but it would certainly be you."_

_"Miss Delacour… I beg of you."_

It was the third and final day.

It was time to cut the vacation short and go back to the original plan.

"Is something the matter, Harry ?" Asked Dumbledore as he stepped into Harry's room.

Harry continued to pack his trunk, preparing to leave Grimmauld place with all his belongings. The items he had left behind almost three years ago.

"No sir." He shook his head.

"You seem troubled." The old man gave the boy a reassuring smile, silently urging him to speak.

"Only troubled by what's to come. But I think such.. fear is normal."

Dumbledore smiled, "I almost cannot believe how wise you have become over the years."

Harry chuckled, "They weren't happy years, sir, I assure you."

"I'm certain." Dumbledore waited for a few seconds, letting Harry known that he was neither leaving, nor speaking without his consent.

"Is something on your mind, sir ?" The boy asked, just as the old man predicted he would.

"I find myself in a very tough situation, my boy." He said as he walked to the bed, sitting on the edge. "And I must ask something of you."

Harry's curiosity was picked. He stopped packing and turned to face the old man, "Sir ?"

"I must ask you not to lose yourself whilst doing whatever it is you're preparing to do." Dumbledore muttered, "I must ask you to consider dropping your plans."

"I think you wouldn't ask me to do that if you knew what I'm setting off to do."

"But there are more important matters to tend to, Harry." Dumbledore insisted, unwilling to tell Harry of the existence of Tom Riddle's horcruxes, yet forced not to let him drift away from their direction.

Harry smiled. He simply smiled. And Dumbledore saw much more in that simple curve of his lips than most people would.

The boy wasn't unaware.

He knew.

"I trust that you can take care of those matters, sir ?"

"Harry, what are you planning to do ?" Dumbledore looked defeated.

"Did you wonder why Voldemort didn't appear in any attack ? Why even though I was there, his followers didn't dare call him ? Or refrain from trying to kill me as they usually do ?"

Dumbledore pondered the question, but remained silent.

"Because he isn't here." Harry said. "He isn't anywhere near Britain. I don't think he's anywhere near Europe by now, and if I am not his priority then I dread to even think of what might be."

"Harry, what is it you know ?" Dumbledore asked, horrified, terrified, completely and utterly worried of what Harry might know, of what he himself didn't.

"I can't answer that, sir." Harry said through gritted teeth, "I literally can't… Not yet."

"Harry…"

"I'm sure that before the day is dead, you will have all the answers." Harry said with a small smile, "Be patient, professor."

* * *

_Albus Dumbledore was…_

_Albus Dumbledore was probably the wisest man I have ever known._

_He was often sneaky and fucking irritating._

_But good god, I respected him._

_I loved him a great deal._

_The man was the first to ever look after me._

_And I owe him enough debts to fill a lifetime._

_We all do._

_Those of us that made it through, that is._

* * *

Harry Potter walked into the kitchen at lunchtime. The only occupant of the room was one French witch.

"Salut, 'Arry." She flashed him a brilliant smile.

"Good day, miss Delacour." He responded before heading straight for the liquor cabinet.

"I heard zat you are leaving today ?" Fleur asked as she pushed her plate away on the table.

"Do you always sit in the kitchen waiting for me to walk in ?" He asked.

"A confident accusation, 'Arry."

"An accusation nonetheless."

"Well." She said, "I must admit that in ze past, running into you was something I wanted to avoid. Yet today, I honestly couldn't wait."

Harry stopped moving and turned around to face her. "Mind repeating that ?"

Fleur started laughing. "Quoi ?"

"I honestly cannot even fathom understanding the insanity that lurks behind that pretty face." Harry stated before turning around to focus on his beverage.

"Eh ben, merci."

"For calling you insane ?"

"For calling me pretty." She smirked at the way he seemed to rush the glass to his mouth.

"I didn't."

"You did."

"I didn't."

"You did."

"You're childish." He accused.

"You think I'm pretty."

Harry sighed and turned around, leaning on the counter and crossing his arms. "Do you have any idea how much you irritate me ?"

"Oui, but zat is because I haven't turned on my charm." She replied confidently.

"And is there a reason that you haven't turned me into a squealing little monkey yet ?"

Fleur remained silent, a mechanical smile plastered on her face while the hurricane of thoughts tore at her mind. "I don't want to."

"And why is that ?"

"Because you're honest and sincere."

"Ha ! Well now I'm glad that I pointed out all of your flaws and called you on your bullshit." Harry shrugged and downed the rest of his drink before walking past her toward the door.

Fleur wracked her mind for something to say, but with each step he took, her thoughts got even more clouded.

"Because I'm perfectly comfortable with all zat you say." She blurted out and he came to an abrupt halt. "Because.. Because I believe in your honesty." She paused and stood up, turning to face him. "because I believe in you, 'Arry."

Harry simply stood there, watching her. Seconds melted into minutes as he simply tried to decipher her words, understand her reasoning, but he came up blank.

"People died for doing just that, Fleur. People died for less." Harry muttered and turned to leave.

"Attends, 'Arry !" She took a hesitant step forward, but stopped when he turned around.

"Come home soon." She whispered the words that Dumbledore had relayed to her the night before.

"Those aren't your words, Fleur. Don't say something to me because you were told to say it." Harry shook his head, "Not again."

"Zen I will not say those words." Fleur said and took another step forward. She stood in front of him and looked into his eyes, no longer cold, no longer lifeless. Perhaps it was the closest she had gotten to the boy, and his features were clearer. She considered that, -being younger aside- Harry was nice to look at, he had a charm of his own, his features, his eyes that were imposing, confident and careful all the time, were hesitant this time. "I will use my own." She whispered, still gazing at the green orbs that seemed so unsure and vulnerable.

"Don't." Harry took a step back. "I don't need this, Fleur."

"Arry.."

No sooner that the word left her lips, Harry left the room leaving her to stare after him. For the first time since she met Harry Potter, he called her Fleur.

* * *

_Heavens save me._

_I couldn't tell her the truth._

_Not her, not anybody else._

_I couldn't tell them that I only acted that way to protect them. _

_It was complicated._

_But the less friends I had, the better._

_I even pulled away from Ron and Hermione for that reason._

_And that day.. _

_The day that I was leaving. A few words from Fleur Delacour started breaking my resolve._

* * *

"For a long time, I was afraid." Murmured Harry as he stood at the head of the table. More than a few dozen faces were watching him attentively, and none dared to speak. "I was afraid that we were all destined to die; And it scared me so much, that I shouldered the blame and ran. A coward's move, I know that now. And I'm done running." Harry paused, looking over at Dumbledore. The old man nodded and Harry returned the gesture. "For now I can only ask that you trust me. I want you to have faith, not in me, but in yourselves. Dark days are coming, darker than anything you have seen before. So please.. Be safe, be strong and have faith."

Silence followed, and Harry nodded once more before sitting down. "Now as we said before." Said Sirius as he stood up, "For now, all that we can do is stay on our guard. We can only stand in defense against the random attacks until Harry, " He motioned in his godson's direction, "And Albus let us know that the situation changed."

"And when will that be ?" Asked a woman from the back;

"It could be a few weeks to a few months." Answered Harry.

"The tasks that Mr. Potter and myself are seeking to complete are complex and require a fair amount of time." Explained the old man.

"Just sit tight until you hear from us." Insisted Harry. "And hope for the best."

* * *

_Dumbledore was going after Voldemort's soul._

_While I was going after Voldemort himself._

_What can I say.. I was setting off to shatter the man's dreams of power._

_Whatever the sick bastard wanted to get his hands on, I was going to find first._

_Either that or die trying to fuck up his plans._

* * *

"May I ask how you came about this piece of information, Harry ?" Asked Dumbledore later that night as he stood in the Potters living room in Godric's Hollow. Cosmina and Abraham sat nearby while Harry leaned against the wall. Fleur Delacour and Sirius Black were distracted by a small flying broom that zoomed around the house.

"You didn't think I assaulted Lucius Malfoy just for fun, did you ?" asked Harry.

"No, never." Dumbledore shook his head.

"It was quite satisfying if I do say so myself, but I had more interest in what he knew."

"So You-know-who left for France ?" Asked Sirius as the broom disappeared up the stairs.

"Not exactly. His first stop was France. He was more interested in a map that would eventually lead him to a concealed island in the Mediterranean sea." Explained Harry.

"And what would he need from such an island ?" Asked the old man.

"Voldemort is collecting rare items. The type that most people consider myths and impossibilities."

"Why would he chase fairytales when he is already winning ze war ?" Asked Fleur.

"You don't understand Voldemort." Spoke Comina for the first time. "He will seek power until he can't anymore. This isn't about the war, it is about making sure that he would never fall."

"And your plan is to chase him ?" Asked Sirius.

"Our plan is a bit more complicated than that." Abraham answered the question. "These aren't random items. They serve a very specific purpose. And they can only be of use when assembled through a ritual."

"Wait wait wait." Sirius held up his hands and everyone turned to look at him, "How do you know all of this ?"

"Does it really matter at this point ?" Asked Cosmina with a raised eyebrow. "The point is that we have to hurry before this war becomes impossible to win."

"Tell me more about these items, about this ritual." Urged Dumbledore. Fleur walked to the empty sofa and sat down. She knew what she was supposed to do and how exactly to go about doing it. It was risky, it was extremely risky for a task such as hers.

"I'm sure you know of the Deathly Hallows, sir ?" Asked Harry and Dumbledore nodded. Neither Sirius nor Fleur found their voices to try and convince them that they were absolutely insane.

"Then you do know that one of the brothers is buried here ?" Harry asked again, and Dumbledore nodded, urging him to continue.

"He avoided death for far too long, sir." Said Harry, "He had a long time to acquire something far more dangerous than the three hallows combined."

"And this weapon is on the island you mentioned ?" Asked Dumbledore curiously.

"No sir." Harry shook his head. "No one knows where it's hidden. And that is the use of the items that he's after. They form some sort of map, or Portkey that will guide him to Peverell's weapon."

"And there is no clue as to what the weapon might be ?" Asked the old man again.

"No." Harry sighed in defeat; "But I intend to keep it that way."

"Harry, you cannot hope to do this on your own." Argued Sirius.

"I'm not alone." He said, nodding at the Romanian pair, "I have them."

"This is too big of a quest for three, Harry." Said Dumbledore.

"You and Sirius have something equally important to take care of." Harry reminded the man. "If we all choose one target, we have no hope to end this."

"You're running into foreign ground." Sirius pleaded, "Let one of us, just one go with you."

"No." Said Harry sternly, "You need all the help you can to keep the attacks at bay and to go after.. The other thing."

That hesitation.

That hesitation was all that Dumbledore needed to know.

Harry didn't tell his friends about Tom Riddle's soul.

He kept it from them.

There was a reason behind that, but for now, it provided leverage against the boy.

"About my own expedition" The old man began, causing Harry's head to snap in his direction, eyes full of fear.

"I'm sure you'll be able to plan it all once we're gone, headmaster." Said Harry, understanding Dumbledore's hidden threat. "I'm not sure that I trust Fleur with that particular piece of information."

"Quoi ?!" Asked Fleur as she got up, "I am every bit ze order member zat you are, 'Arry."

"So is Snape, but I don't trust him either." Harry noted.

"We're getting off track, here." Said Sirius before focusing on Harry; "Would it hurt to just let one of us go along for the ride ? We'll warn them not to interfere with your task and follow your every command. No questions will be asked when you aren't willing to answer. Just-" Sirius paused, "Just a shadow to offer an extra opinion, and to put me at ease that you have one extra wand watching over you."

Harry remained silent for a while and Cosmina sighed, capturing Sirius' attention.

"I don't see why not, Harry." She offered.

"I do." Whispered Harry, "If they come along for the ride, they come along for countless killing curses and more than a few tragedies." Harry shook his head, "I can't really think of anyone I dislike enough to invite along. I can't think of anyone stupid enough to understand the risks and still come along."

"I would." Offered Fleur.

"There you go then !" blurted an excited Sirius.

"Fleur, but that was supposed to be a sarcastic comment." Harry said.

"I know." She said. Harry gazed at her, confused, aware that something was simply out of place. Fleur smiled at him. "But I'm done hiding. Just like you said at ze meeting, 'Arry." She took a step forward, then another until she stood between Dumbledore and Sirius, "You told us to have faith, non ?"

"And what exactly makes you think that you would be of any use to me ?" Asked Harry.

"Come on, 'Arry. You know very well zat I would be a useful asset. In both combat and strategy."

"No."

Fleur blinked. It seemed almost impossible to convince Harry to do anything. "Why not ? You won't tell me what ze headmaster is after, so I cannot be of any use to him or ze order, why couldn't I help you with your task ? I already know what it is."

"Because you will be in grave danger." Harry said forcefully as he attempted to hold back his rage.

"So will you three !" Fleur argued.

"It's not the same." Harry snapped, "Not even remotely."

"Why not ?" Sirius added.

"Because we are orphans ! We have no family to worry about ! There won't be a mother losing sleep, or a father turning to alcohol, or a sibling to wish for our return !" Harry blurted out;

"Harry, that is not true. Many care for you-" Started Dumbledore.

"It's not the same !" Harry interrupted, "Her parents, sir." He continued in a softer voice, "They'll go barmy."

"My parents know very well that I am in danger no matter where I am. If anything zey would feel better knowing that I''m with you." Fleur lied. Her parents would certainly be even more anxious to know that she was of chasing the dark lord's trail with his nemesis leading her.

"They won't stop until you agree to it." Noted Cosmina as she stood up and walked toward the door. "Might as well save time and let her come along." She added without turning around.

"Well." Said Abraham as he gained his feet as well. "Good thing I bought an extra necklace." He said as he made for the door as well.

"What do you mean ?" Fleur asked in confusion. Abraham didn't answer and simply continued walking. Harry walked toward her, and she held his gaze for the first time. He extended a hand and captured hers. Fleur's mind ceased to function as she attempted to find an explanation, to understand why Harry initiated the contact. She could have sworn that she could no longer feel anything but his fingers brushing against her palm. The contact was sudden, surprising and unusual. Harry Potter, the boy that used to puke at the mention of her name, reached for her hand.

Harry brought her hand up and placed a silver necklace in her palm. Fleur frowned and looked up, awaiting an explanation. "A portkey that activates when your heart stops.. It'll bring you back here when you die." He said, distaste and anger clear in his voice. Fleur's heart almost sank at his words, as if the realization of what she agreed to do only just sank in. No sooner had he whispered the words, Harry moved away toward the door. "You'll need to bring necessities, only the type of things you can't survive without and keep it light and small." He added.

Fleur nodded at his back, clutching the necklace in her hand.

"And Fleur ?" Harry stopped at the door.

"Oui ?"

"You will regret this decision. It's going to be fucking exhausting."

"I know."

Harry nodded once and walked away. The room was still silent, and the only sound was that of his footsteps as he walked up the stairs. "We better get back." Said Sirius, "You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

* * *

_Try to understand my reasoning._

_You see, Harry Potter was born to James and Lily Potter._

_He would have grown in a loving family._

_He probably would have had a rough first year, you know, a boy with a goofy look, glasses and a shy unsure smile._

_He would have been bullied even._

_But he would have excelled during his second year._

_He would have won over everyone's respect with his Quidditch skills._

_And then he would have started to gain confidence._

_He would have slowly eased out of his shyness._

_He would have been loved by his teachers for his magical skill and eagerness to learn._

_He would have went home for Christmas and laughed at James' joke when he compared his pregnant wife to a balloon. _

_He would have smiled as his father kissed her for forgiveness._

_He would have had a girlfriend._

_He would have been the teenager that longed to experience such emotions._

_He would have gotten into trouble, he would have become an exact replica of his father._

_He would have loved his little sister._

_He would have enjoyed taking her for strolls down Diagon Alley._

_He would have gotten married._

_He would have died an old man._

_But you see…_

_That didn't happen… It was supposed to happen, yet it didn't._

_James and Lily Potter died.._

_And Harry ceased to exist that night._

_He was replaced by something that shouldn't have existed at all._

_Something that was awfully wronged._

_I am not the Harry Potter that should have been, not the Harry Potter that could have been._

_I am what Harry Potter had to be, despite all odds, despite the unfair cruelty of fate._

_Sad, isn't it ? That these people needed me to save them ?_

_Fucking sad, I tell you.._

_Because they realized that I'm not a god only when they had time for one last breath._

* * *

"Alright then." Said Cosmina as she picked up her bag. "Ready to go ?"

"Just give me a minute." Came Harry's voice from upstairs.

"What do you think he's doing ?" Asked Abraham.

"Probably taking a last look at the house." The girl answered in a whisper.

Abraham remained silent. A minute turned out to be ten, and soon enough Harry was walking down the stairs, his bag over his shoulder.

"All set ?" Cosmina asked him. "Do you have the Portkey ?"

"Yes." He nodded. "But we'll have to activate it at Grimmauld Place."

"We better hurry." Said Abraham as he checked his watch. "We're pressed for time."

Harry nodded and led them to the fireplace. "After you."

Abraham stepped forward and disappeared in a roar of green flames. Harry looked over at Cosmina who was watching him carefully. "Anything the matter ?" He asked.

"I didn't want to say this last night, but that French girl, she's-" She began to speak only to have Harry finish the sentence for her.

"-is up to something. This is one of Dumbledore's ministrations, and Sirius is on it too. They're pushing Fleur in my direction and I think it's very easy to figure out why;" He grinned as an expression of confusion marred her features.

"Then why did you-"

"Because the best way to get Dumbledore off my back is by giving him exactly what he wants." He explained, " And because I really don't have the time needed to convince him to just leave me alone."

Cosmina nodded. "Will you tell her ? The girl ? Will you tell her that you know of their plans ?"

"Eventually, I guess. We already knew this would happen, Mina." He said thoughtfully. "But we'll have plenty of time for such silly matters later. Now we have a long trip, and a lot of people to meet." He ushered her toward the fireplace. "Go on. We have dark plans to piss on."

* * *

_I rarely cried._

_Honestly, I rarely cried._

_Maybe twice was about it._

_Once when Cedric died._

_And once that day._

* * *

"You know something that I don't." Sirius stated. It wasn't a question. He knew that Dumbledore noticed something the previous night.

The old man looked up at Sirius, then glanced at the stairs. Fleur was still with her family, awaiting Harry's arrival.

"I must admit that I never expected Harry to be cleverer than both of us." He said. Noticing Sirius' confusion, he continued. "Harry and his friends knew very well that we would attempt to keep him from leaving. They also allowed us to think that we were able to convince them to allow one of us to go along."

Sirius was still confused. Dumbledore smiled at him, "Would you buy an extra Portkey such as the one Harry gave miss Delacour ? Such items are expensive and rare. You see, Harry knew that we would insist on helping him, and he prepared for that."

Sirius seemed to catch the meaning at last and sighed. "Do you think he knows what we asked Fleur to do ? Do you think we should tell her ?"

The headmaster shook his head, "No. As far as I can tell, Harry didn't know who would be the aid that we would choose. If anything, I believe that miss Delacour's intentions are a mystery to him."

"Shouldn't she know either way ?"

"What good would that achieve ? It would only cloud her judgment and intimidate her."

The fireplace roared to life and the conversation ended. Dumbledore sent a patronus up the stairs before turning to greet the newcomers. Abraham emerged first and the boy inclined his head in respect to both men. It took a few seconds longer than needed for Cosmina to appear, followed almost instantly by Harry. The three stood side to side and no one dared to speak.

Footsteps could be heard from upstairs and Harry looked at Dumbledore in confusion. It almost sounded as if an army was moving through the house. Dumbledore smiled and took a few steps back, leaning against the wall and letting Harry witness something that he would not soon forget.

First he saw Hermione, then Ginny, followed by Ron. Behind them stood the Weasleys and Remus, next to him was Tonks. On her side stood Alastor. Behind him, the Delacours stood together, and behind them all, stood all the order members and those that sought shelter from Voldemort's wrath. Purebloods, halfbloods and muggle-borns alike stood that day to wish Harry Potter luck. Only a few, yet so many were there to show appreciation, to show that they had faith in him, just as he had faith in them.

"We always knew that it had to be this way." Sirius spoke and Harry found it difficult to tear his eyes from the scene before him.

"We always knew that you would stand for us all." Hermione said as a tear slid down her cheek.

"And we always knew that you wouldn't ask for anything in return, mate." Came Ron's voice.

"You kept us safe merely by existing." Said ginny, and Harry could have sworn that it was the first time he ever heard her speak to him. "Knowing you were there put us at ease."

"You shouldered a responsibility that wasn't yours to bear." Remus smiled as he softly added the words.

"And we are all so proud of you, dear." Molly muttered through a sob.

"Thank you, Harry, for everything." Said Tonks.

"And remember, my boy." Said Dumbledore as he stepped closer to the group. "We will be waiting for you to come home."

Cosmina glanced over at Harry, and for the first time, she saw a completely hurt expression on his face. Never, ever since she knew him did she see Harry like that. Never was he speechless, never was he so touched and vulnerable. Sirius stepped forward and engulfed his godson in a tight embrace. "Be safe, Harry." He said as he moved back, only to be replaced by Hermione.

It was probably the longest few minutes for Harry. One after the other, they stepped forward to wish him luck and fortune. He was shocked by the gesture, and even more so by the show of affection and support. He found himself wondering what it was that he did, what it was that he accomplished to inspire such raw loyalty. But then again that was what he was born to do.

To spawn hope and love.

The Delacours stepped forward as one. Danielle stepped toward Harry and smiled to the best of her ability. "Fleur will be safe with you, Monsieur Potter, oui ?" She asked, "We will pray for you every day."

Harry nodded, finding his voice for the first time since he stepped out of the fireplace, "Thank you." He gave her the best smile he could muster and she hugged him. A hug to rival Hermione's. It was brief and the woman turned to her daughter, hugging her one last time before letting her go.

Fleur stepped forward. Cosmina and Abraham drew closer and together they formed a circle. Harry placed the tin can in the middle. Once all his three companions gripped the item, Harry glanced one last time at the sea of faces before him.

And then a whisper was all it took.

"Portus."

* * *

_And then the hunt began_

_And I remember wishing that fate may smile upon us all._

_Harry Potter, Abraham Vonodor, and Cosmina Mondragon.._

_I remember wishing that Mrs. Delacour's prayers were heard._

* * *

"Are we going somewhere, Albus ?" Asked Sirius as he followed the old man to the Fireplace.

"Time is crucial, Sirius." Dumbledore answered, "Time is a luxury that we cannot afford."

"But where are we going ?"

Dumbledore smiled and picked up a pinch of Floo, "All in good time. It would suffice to say that it's a very special place for the dark lord."

"You never told me that you found one."

"Oh I found more than one."

"How many then ?"

"Six."

"And the seventh ?"

Dumbledore sighed, "I do not know." He answered, "I cannot find any indication of its existence."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"That, we will."

* * *

_Dear god, I remember wishing that her prayers were heard…_

_That an angel in the distance would listen…_

* * *

A wand scraped along the stone wall.

Running footsteps could be heard down the dark corridor.

Niccolo Vinechi panted as he continued to run. Sweat and blood mixed on his forehead and created,a shining crimson trail down his cheek; He didn't sign up for this, he never thought that his actions would carry such consequences. The wand continued to scrape against the wall behind him and the sound both irritated and terrified him. One second he was running, the next he was flung through the air and into the wall. He crashed on the cold floor and quickly crawled back, until he could no more.

"And though I stand in the presence of evil." Came the boy's cold voice from the darkness. "I shan't feel no pain." His figure appeared in the light of the torch ahead, followed by two others. A boy, and a girl with a wand scraping against the wall. "I shan't fear its darkness." His voice.. So cold.. So cold… His voice was… Well that was just it…

"I shall shake the world."

His voice was death.

"He will know ! The dark lord will know !" Niccolo cried.

"It doesn't matter." The other boy's voice was calm, almost as cold as Potter's. "You will tell us what we need to know."

The girl pointed her wand at him and he laughed.

Oh fuck he laughed. He was dead either way. "Go fuck yourself, lads."

One look at Potter's face caused him to lose his voice. The boy smirked, as if he was waiting for him to say those words.

"Mondragon."

A command.

"Gladly." The girl said as she stepped forward.

* * *

_I didn't say anything about wishing my enemies naught but pain._

_But then again, I never say much about my wishes and prayers._

* * *

Dawn.

Fleur woke feeling better than she had during the past week that she spent away from her family. She thought that she was only feeling better because she finally got used to the cot in which she slept. Slowly she sat up in bed and looked around the tent. The others still hadn't returned from their trip yesterday. After a week of search, they were finally making progress. Harry located the group that deciphered the map for Voldemort and led him to Peverell's island. Of course, Harry insisted that she was to stay behind, not for her safety, but to keep an eye on their belongings and wait for their return.

Fleur smiled as she thought about the way that he kept emphasizing the fact that it was definitely not about her safety.

She had to admit that after seeing Harry in battle, after being protected by him, it changed her perspective of the boy. Not long after their search began, they had encountered a bunch of eager death eaters, and Harry fought valiantly. Not only was it a chance to prove herself to him and his friends, but it was also a change to see why so many had faith in him.

Fleur left bed and headed to the center of the tent. The table there was cleared, no sign of a note or a letter that might have arrived during the night. She sighed as she stepped out of the tent. The morning air was cold and she shivered. The cliff on which they had set camp was beautiful, but the weather was simply unbearable.

A loud crack of apparition announced company, and Fleur turned just in time to see Abraham walking toward her, sporting a grin that declared victory. Fleur looked past him to see Harry already in the process of removing his cloak. She couldn't help but admire him for the very first time.

Black pants and a black shirt hid his body from view, but Fleur did get a good look at his bare arms. They were lean and hard, devoid of the faintest traces of fat. His musculature was akin to a dancer's or a swimmer's.

Strong, but not overly so. Taut, but not too tight. Fleur thought she could see scar tissue across both arms. But that did not take away from the boy's image. Indeed, it added to it. Harry possessed the body of a warrior, of a soldier, and that made him all the more alluring.

As he drew closer, it hit her that these thoughts were alien to her, thoughts of Harry in such a way were completely new to her and she wondered just what pulled them to the forefront of her mind. "You're staring."

Fleur jumped as Cosmina's voice came from behind her. She didn't notice the girl coming anywhere near her. "I'm not." She defended.

Cosmina simply stared at her, gaze calculating and face an expressionless mask. "Of course not." She muttered as she disappeared inside. Harry had just reached her. "Everything was quiet, I imagine ?" He asked with the faintest trace of a smile.

"Oui." Fleur breathed. "And you ?"

In response, Harry pulled out a ragged battered folded piece of parchment. "Deciphered and explained, courtesy of the Death fucks."

"You don't sound too enthusiastic." Fleur noted.

"I will be after a few hours of sleep." He said as he stepped inside, Fleur following behind him.

"What ? non non non ! You do not give me good news zen sleep, 'Arry." Fleur whined. "Tell me everything first."

"Sleep is man's best friend, Fleur." Said Harry as he trudged toward the boys section of the tent and disappeared behind the thick blanket they were using for cover. "I fucking love my best friend, you know."

Fleur huffed and turned to Cosmina only to find the girl already under her covers. It took her a few seconds to decide before she followed Harry.

"Arry." She called, partly in warning of her presence, mostly to check if he was still awake.

"Why girls keep invading my living quarters, I will never know." Harry said as he collapsed the mattress. Abaham was already asleep in his own cot.

"Start complaining and Abraham will want to switch cots with me." Fleur smirked.

"He already wants to switch cots with you." Noted Harry as he opened his eyes to look at her.

"I don't blame him." Said Fleur as she stepped forward to sit on the edge of his bed. "He's in love."

Harry snorted and Fleur smiled. "What ?" She asked.

"He is." Harry confirmed, "He just doesn't know it yet."

"How can you tell ?" She asked, honestly curious. She said the words in humor, noting the way that Abraham constantly kept admitting his love to the girl in an excessively humorous manner.

Harry shrugged and closed his eyes. "I was just like him once."

Fleur raised a brow. The motion went unnoticed.

"You'll tell me the story one day ?" She whispered.

"Depends on how good your cooking is." He yawned and Fleur patted his shoulder gently.

"Fair enough."

* * *

_Ha !_

_I find myself in need of a pause here. Because there is just so much that I haven't told you._

_I'm still not sure which parts of my story you would be willing to hear._

_I'm not sure what parts I am willing to tell.._

_But time does, no ?_

_Time tells.._

* * *

**A/N : **The game has started. Boom baby.


	5. Mindara Calls

_DISCLAIMER : _**Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Harry Potter, and neither do you.**

**A/N : **Hello again. First signs of attraction will appear in "Mindara calls". Don't expect love and a relationship until at least the end of the story. Harry and Fleur will not be jumping each other any time soon. Things will progress slowly and as they should. In other words, there won't be butterflies and rainbows until laaaaater on. Reviews and such are very very very appreciated and welcome. They actually give me the urge to write ( whether to live up to supporters' expectations or to win a critic's satisfaction ) . And on that note, I present the fourth chapter.

**Chapter 4 : Mindara calls.**

* * *

_Ask me what I see up ahead.._

_But be warned.._

_Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies.._

_And the truth ? Heh, the truth is simple really.._

_Together we laugh, together we cry.._

* * *

The faint rays of sunlight creeping into the tent danced along Harry's face. The boy slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times at the unexpected and irritating light. He closed them again and welcomed the warmth on his face. As he lay there, he let his thoughts wander. Today was the first day of hope. The progress they made over the week was unexpected. It was too good to be true in some ways. Yet the means to that end were almost scarring. But this was for a righteous cause. This wasn't random brutality, this wasn't for his own good but for the sake of others, for the sake of the world, for the sake of humanity.

Yet it was in a way for his own sake, the goal was to beat Voldemort for revenge, for blood and peace. Ironic, how those two thoughts were along the same line yet contradictory in meaning. Harry sighed and turned to lie on his side. He opened one eye and noticed that Abraham was still asleep. There were no sounds of conversation in the tent and such a moment of peace and silence was enjoyable among days wrought in pain and bloodshed. A ray of sunlight in a raging storm, a spark of hope, of life as it should be.

Harry left his bed and got dressed. As he passed through the tent, he could hear the steady breathing coming from the girls section of the tent. Harry didn't wait, but walked outside, basking in the warm light of the sun in which the cliff bathed. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks brought a smile to his face, and just for a second, Harry wished he could run away again, and stay here.. Away from the world and all its insanity. A familiar figure sitting on the edge of the cliff with her back to him caught his attention and for a moment Harry thought that he would do best to walk back inside and pretend he didn't see her at all, but the way that her shoulders were slumped, the way that her face was directed at the waves below told him that something was off. Harry took a deep breath and walked over toward the Blonde.

"Fleur." He called when he was a few feet away. His voice seemed to startle her. She shifted in her place yet kept her face hidden from view.

"Bonjour, 'Arry."

Something in her voice told him something was wrong and though he wanted to ask, he knew that her answer would be to deny that anything was bothering her. A few seconds and neither spoke. Harry stepped forward and swung his legs over the edge. Once seated next to her, Harry stole a glance her way and though he didn't get a clear view of her eyes, the rays of sunlight made the tear marks on her cheek glow a faint orange before her hand wiped them away. Harry averted his eyes, choosing to look up at the clear sky. "Miss home?" He broke the silence.

Fleur shook her head. If anything, being here was a lot better than back at France, or Britain for that matter. "Non. Pas vraiment."

"No, not home." He said. Fleur looked over at him, partly confused and Harry smiled, "Home." He said again, as if the meanings of the word were completely different.

Fleur caught on, and she thought it better to talk to him rather than let it eat at her inside. "It's Gabrielle's birthday, today. She turns thirteen."

Harry nodded slowly and said nothing. Fleur looked back at the tent, then back at him. "And you ?" She asked after a while, "Do you miss home ?"

Harry merely shrugged, yet the simple act of indifference carried a lot more meaning that it should have. "I haven't found it yet." Came his reply.

"I think I understand." She said. "And I don't mean to sound selfish, speaking of home when you have none."

"It's not selfish." Harry muttered, "It means that you have something worth a damn, worth what we're doing." He added.

Fleur watched him. She simply couldn't look away, couldn't understand. "Zen why are you doing zis ?" She asked, "I would have gone crazy long ago, 'Arry."

"I really don't know." He whispered. "I guess I always thought that if I can, then why not ?" He then smiled at her, his hand moved to grip her shoulder in a reassuring squeeze. "If there's a chance for you to keep home, then why not ? And who knows.." He trailed off and stood up, offering her a hand once he was on his feet. "I might find home myself along the way."

Fleur took his hand and gained her feet. One accidental glance over the edge of the cliff caused her to grip Harry's forearms tightly. She looked up in alarm when he pulled her away from the edge. He seemed merely amused and the way that his expression was relaxed made her breath hitch in her throat. Her face was so close to his that she could rub her nose against his if she moved closer just a few inches. The thought caused a blush to appear on her cheeks and her gaze to land on his lips before quickly settling on his eyes.

"Fleur.." Harry purred.

"Oui ?" She breathed back dreamily.

"You're standing on my toes."

"Oh." Fleur jumped back in embarrassement, "Désolée."

"It's alright." Harry jerked a thumb toward the tent, "Breakfast ?"

* * *

_Together we die.._

* * *

"It doesn't make any sense." Said Abraham with a sigh as he dropped his forehead on the wooden table.

"We're missing something." Cosmina rubbed her forehead in thought.

"Read it again." Harry said as he paced through the tent.

Abraham sighed and pulled the old parchment closer. It only took a second to locate the riddle.

"Through the mists of Hannibal's shores,

where the great and mighty falls,

Crimson red on your skin shall crawl

And the island of Mindara calls :

Together we laugh, together we cry,

together in the end we die."

Silence.

Fleur watched as all three repeated the same actions of the past few hours. Harry paced back and forth. Abraham slammed his forehead on the table and Cosmina rubbed he temple.

"Who's 'Annibal ?" She asked.

"I don't know." Said Cosmina before punching Abraham's shoulder, "You're supposed to be the smartass, figure it out."

Abraham scowled, "How am I supposed to figure it out ? Hannibal is a very very common name in the wizarding world, and just because I'm smarter than you doesn't mean tha-" He stopped abruptly, his eyes widened and he blinked, once, twice before he jumped from the table and ran toward his cot. "Mina you are fucking amazing." Came his voice from behind the curtain.

"Spit it out then !" Harry snapped, "We're waiting !"

Abraham reappeared with a book in his hands, "Hannibal is a very common name in the wizarding world." He said again, and looked on eagerly at their expectant faces.

"And ?" Cosmina urged.

"And it is NOT as common in the muggle world." He explained. "Understand ?" He asked as they simply stared at him.

"I think he might be in need of Alcohol." Said Cosmina.

"Or a woman." Added Harry.

"I think you will provide me both and proceed to hug me when I tell you what my brilliantly superior mind-"

"Get to it !" Harry snapped again.

"A map such as the youngest Peverell drew wasn't for anyone to read. He made sure that whoever succeeded to read it had vast knowledge. A smart person would poke around history books and see what Peverell was most interested in, and it so happens that I read everything I could find about the man." Abraham explained and placed the book on the table. "You see Peverell found the island not long after his travels around the world began. We already know that it's in the Mediterranean sea but it's warded and heavily protected and according to the map, it can only be accessed from one particular location somewhere nearby." Abraham snapped open the book and flipped through a few pages. He stopped when he came over a map. Harry stepped closer and Fleur followed. "You see." Began Abraham, "He left Britain." He placed a finger on the map to demonstrate the trail, "Went to France, then Greece, and Italy." He looked up at them, "After that the trail is simply unclear, and there were no records or entries in his travel journals or his diaries or even the letters he wrote to signify where he went afterwards. But then after a few months of disappearance, he appeared in Algeria. Now most people would assume that the entrance would be somewhere on the Algerian coast."

"Alright, what does this have to do with anything ?" Asked an irritated Harry.

"Well that's just it, there is and never was a wizarding community in Algeria. No wizarding history, nada. BUT" He raised a finger and grinned, "There was magical history nearby." His finger came down, "In Tunisia. And if I remember correctly, the one Tunisian warrior that the Roman empire feared at the time of its fucking glory, the man that everyone thought was a muggle, had a very uncommon name for a muggle." Abraham laughed as realization began to sink in. "Want to guess, ladies and gents ?"

"Unbelievable." Breathed Cosmina as she took a closer look at the map.

"And it gets better." Abraham pointed at the small peak on the map, "That looks awfully suspicious, that peak, almost unmistakably convenient."

"Alright, that's two lines of the riddle." Said Harry. "But aren't you forgetting the rest ? 'Crimson red on your skin shall crawl.' That sounds fucking scary to me."

"Maybe it's wine." Suggested Abraham.

"I think it may be blood." Added Fleur.

"Either way it gives me the jitters. It sounds like a blood ritual or some sort of sacrifice." Harry went back to pacing back and forth, "But the last part sounds motivational in a way."

"You mean 'together we die' sounds motivational ?" Cosmina asked, "I fear to ask what you deem depressing."

"It sounds like some sort of incantation. Maybe it's how you get through. We just stand there and say those words." Abraham suggested.

"No, too easy.." Fleur reasoned. "Zere's more to it zan zat."

"It's a test." Harry said. Everyone turned to see him still pacing back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and ba-

"Would you sit down !" Snapped Cosmina, "You're making me nervous."

Harry stopped pacing and crossed his arms, "It's a test, and there's no way that we can prepare for it or know what it is. We'll get there and figure it out, even if we have to improvise from there on. Peverell was too clever in making this riddle, too careful in hiding the island and leaving no trail."

"Or Mina is just a shitty interrogator and failed miserably at pulling the juicy information from dear old Niccolo." Abraham suggested and earned himself a slap on the back of the head.

"Thanks, asshole."

* * *

_I was right._

_About finding home._

_It just wasn't what I expected. _

_Not even close._

* * *

"There's something not right about you."

Fleur was just outside the tent, seated and facing the general direction of Harry and Abraham's location. They had wandered off to stretch their legs and see if they were still safely alone. It wasn't a surprise when Cosmina's voice sounded venomous, the girl never really liked her that much.

"And what is zat ?"

Cosmina stepped forward and passed the mug in her hand. Fleur brought it close to her lips and sniffed. "thank you but I do not drink." She offered the mug back. Mina simply shrugged and remained silent.

"Are you going to tell me what is wrong with me ?" Fleur asked.

"I don't really know what it is." The girl answered, "But whatever you're here for, I really advise you to forget about it."

"I honestly have no idea what you are talking about." Fleur denied the accusation with perfected ease.

"It's my advice." Cosmina said again, "If you ask me, I would prefer that you don't take it, it would be fun to see it blow up in your face."

"And what is it zat is going to blow up in my face ?"

"Harry's rage." Cosmina stated flatly. "Because Harry always knows in the end."

"Is zere something I did to make you hate me ?" Fleur finally asked.

"Not particularly. But then again, I don't like an awful lot of people, if that helps."

"It does not." Fleur admitted.

"Eh well." Cosmina shrugged, "Can't win them all, right ?" And with that, she retired into the tent.

Fleur sat in the darkness of the night for a while and it was before long that she spotted the two boys on their way back. Abraham entered the tent directly, smiling at her on the way, while Harry stopped in front of her.

"All is well, zen ?" She asked.

Harry nodded, "It seems so. Shouldn't you be asleep ? We have an early start tomorrow."

"I couldn't sleep. Too excited." She shrugged and smiled at him before patting the ground next to her, "I could use some company."

Harry seemed to hesitate for a second before sliding down next to her. Cosmina's mug came floating from inside and Harry grabbed it out of the air, "Thank you." He called into the silence of the night.

"What is ze plan ?" Fleur wanted to break the silence any way possible, and her attempt was somewhat successful because Harry spoke, yet the words that he uttered were not expected.

"I'm glad that it was you that came along."

Fleur could only blink, "What ?" The question escaped her lips before she could help it.

"You're easier to get along with, and you don't have a bossy itch to protect me. I'm glad it was you."

"That's.." She trailed off and tilted her head to the side, "I honestly cannot tell if zat is a compliment or insult."

"It sounded better in my head."

"Oh ? So ze boy zat has a way with words zat strikes fear in ze hearts of men cannot compose a clear sentence ?" She smirked teasingly, "I would go as far as saying zat you're nervous."

"It was meant as an insult."

"Liar."

"Well I couldn't well compliment your looks, I already did that once, and I really needed to say something nice."

Fleur tried to restrain the grin that threatened to spread on her face, "And do tell, Monsieur Potter why you felt that you needed to say something nice to me."

"Well.." Harry took a deep breath and looked over at her, "Because I need to tell you that you're not coming with us tomorrow."

"What ? Why ?" Fleur screeched, gaining her feet.

"We'll come back to collect you before long. There are things that you can't know;"

"When will I know anything, 'Arry ?" She demanded.

"About tomorrow ? Never if I can help it." Harry stood up, mug in hand and made to move into the tent, yet Fleur stepped into his path.

She was angry and she was going to make sure that he knew that. "You don't trust me, 'Arry, is zat it ? Or was it Cosmina zat convinced you not to take me along ? You think zat I cannot protect myself, zat I cannot handle whatever it is I would see ?"

"Fleur-"

"Non ! Since we came here, I did not complain at all whenever you would leave me behind. I never said anything to contradict your stupid ideas, and I followed your every request. I have been trying my best to be as helpful as possible."

"Fleur-"

"Don't interrupt me ! Because I've had enough !" She poked his chest with an accusing finger. "You will not keep me here again !"

Silence.

Fleur wondered if she went too far. She tried to recall the exact words that she had said during her outburst, just to see if she said anything inappropriate.

"Fine." Harry muttered. "Fucking fantastic."

* * *

_Secrets are never kept hidden, not in the hearts of men, not in the pages of oblivion. _

_Have you ever known someone to take a secret to the grave ?_

_That's probably the reason that I allowed many things to change._

_Because time knows no mercy._

_Because I die for you, sweetheart._

_I always do._

* * *

"Albus !" Sirius called. "An owl !"

Dumbledore left the Black library in a hurry. He strode over to where Sirius was standing with a note in his hand. "It's from Harry."

The old man snatched the little piece of parchment as multiple heads popped up behind him, attempting to see over his shoulder.

_Tell Fawkes that he can sing his song._

_H.P_

"What does it say ?" Asked Hermione.

"Are they alright ?" Came Danielle's voice.

The old man smiled and handed the piece of parchment back to Sirius. "I think young Harry and his companions are on their road to success."

* * *

_Do you remember long ago ? That moment of freedom ?_

_We chased the dreams of yesterday, we hunted the times that long since passed._

_We were dreamers, we were hope._

_We were everything to each other and yet we were nothing to the cruel world._

_But do you know what kept me going ?_

_Why I never looked back ? Do you know what urged me forward ?_

_You did._

_And I bet you never knew._

* * *

Whatever Fleur expected the next day, it was not walking down the street of Oslo.

"'Arry." She caught up with the boy that was walking right in front of her, "Why are we in Norway ?" She asked curiously. Harry glanced at Abraham and Cosmina, walking a few feet ahead of them. "You and I, we've had our goodbyes." He nodded in the direction of their two companions, "Abraham didn't."

Fleur was partly confused, "But did you not say zat he was Romanian ?"

"He is." Harry sighed, "But the person that he's here to see isn't."

"And Cosmina ?" She stole a glance at the girl, "What of her ?"

"Long story." Said Harry, "A very long story."

Fleur chose not to press the issue and soon enough they entered an alleyway that led to a pub. Abraham pulled a tiny note from his pocket and Cosmina charmed it to fly through the open window. It took a few seconds for the girl to reach them, while Abraham lingered closer to the door.

Soon enough a dark-haired girl stepped out into the alley, note in hand and eyes in the process of a frantic search. Her gaze landed on them first, then on Abraham before she walked over to him. Fleur observed the situation and noticed that Harry seemed more than a little uncomfortable. Abraham and the unknown girl embraced then exchanged a few words. It lasted for almost ten minutes before Abraham started walking toward them. No sooner had the boy started walking, Harry laced her his arm around hers and led her away, Cosmina on his other side. A normal day and she would have found the contact strange, yet she knew that Harry wanted to give Abraham time to compose himself. And though Fleur had the impression that Abraham carried affection for Cosmina, that Harry's comment the other night confirmed it, it was quite obvious that her calculations were wrong, that there was more to Harry's friends than she thought. They walked in silence until they were back in the same dark alley in which they emerged from almost an hour ago. Abraham caught up with them, and the playful glint in his eyes was absent, yet that same old smile of his was plastered on his face.

"Fleur." Harry's voice tore her from her observation and she looked over at him, "Now is the time to decide. Once we're there, there is no going back, and it will be direct confrontation with more death than you can ever imagine."

Fleur shivered, yet held his gaze.

"If you want to go home, no one will hold it against you. In fact.." He paused and looked over at the other two, "We'd prefer you were safely at home."

"Non." She whispered. She had a mission, a task and she was set on completing it. "I will stay with you." Was it a task anymore ? Or was it something that she wanted ? Did she feel compelled to do this for Harry's sake or for her own ?

She honestly didn't know anymore.

"Your funeral." Cosmina shrugged, "We'll go back to camp, spend the night and go island hunting at dawn."

"Fleur." Harry tried again, "I seriously urge you to reconsider."

"Let's go back to camp, 'Arry." Fleur said, "We leave at dawn."

"We're not leaving tomorrow. We have other matters to tend to, first. You're not going back to camp with us, Mina." Harry said as he passed the girl a note.

"Right away ?" She asked. Harry nodded.

Fleur looked on in confusion. Cosmina passed the note to Abraham, "Only if you feel up for it." She added.

Abraham sighed and took her hand. "let's go."

The two apparated away, leaving Harry and Fleur alone. The thought made her nervous.

"Come on." Harry said as he offered her his hand. "Let's go."

* * *

_People such as Cosmina Mondragon had a different perception of the world._

_Whilst your moral compass points to a distinction of what is right from what is wrong._

_Hers points to "how does this benefit me" ?_

_Her words, not mine. And though I always thought that she would go far to achieve her goals_

_I never really believed it until the beginning of the end._

* * *

Draco Malfoy pulled his cloak tighter around his body as he exited the ministry. He smirked as he thought about the idiocy of Dumbledore and his clowns. If they thought for a second that they would be able to keep him under charges of use of dark magic, they were even stupider than he thought. One look at his father's status, one fabricated story of being in Hogsmeade on a visit when the attack took place and he was handed back his wand.

Fools, the lot of them.

Upon arriving to the Three broomsticks through the Floo network, Draco took one look around and headed for the door. He always considered the pub beneath him, yet just as he opened the door to leave, a girl made to walk inside and ended up too close to him than she would have planned. "Apologies." He said, a smirk well in place and he stepped to the side, still holding the door for her. She stepped inside and smiled at him, entrancing blue eyes almost made him melt and she nodded at him, "Thank you, stranger." She said in a foreign accent that seemed to do him in before walking to an empty booth at the back of the pub, causing almost every male eye to follow her. It was just then that Draco found the Three broomsticks to be one of the most superb pubs in Magical Britain. He closed the door and pulled the cloak to cover his still injured and tender left arm. He swaggered over to where she sat, inclining his head in her direction. "Do you mind if I join you ? I was on my way for an important business meeting before I saw you, and for the life of me, I can't remember what it is."

The girl smiled sweetly at him. "Well then if I did something as horrible as costing you a very important meeting, the least I could do is offer you a drink, Mr.."

"Malfoy." Draco slipped down in the seat opposite from her, "Draco Malfoy."

The girl almost glowed instantly and Draco bathed in her following words. "My my, I come in for a drink and find a Malfoy. My lucky night." She winked at him and he chuckled.

"It certainly is, miss.."

"My name is Mina." She said, and the smirk that appeared on her face was almost predatory, "Just Mina."

* * *

_And then the devil stood up and clapped._

_He even took notes._

_Then he fucking cheered some more._

* * *

Fleur felt more nervous than she could remember being in her entire life.

She wasn't preparing for a tournament.

She wasn't staring deeply at a goblet waiting for her name to be called.

She was alone in a tent with Harry Potter.

She didn't know what it was that made her nervous just then, but the thought of having company whenever she was in the same place as Harry put at her at an ease that she never noticed. Now, her mind was swimming with thoughts that made no sense, and were driving her insane.

"Here." She was pulled from her thoughts when a mug was presented to her. She looked up, attempting to clear her mind, "More alcohol ?" She asked.

"Coffee. I know you don't drink." He said. Fleur accepted the mug, and the gesture, the fact that he prepared coffee when he didn't drink any touched her immensely. Though he never would admit it, Harry was very considerate.

It was then that she started wondering how she knew him that well.

"Merci."

They sat in silence for a few moments. Harry was on a chair near the radio that played a slow tune that was conveniently in rhyme with the cricket sounds coming from the darkness of the night outside. The candle lit tent was never silent when the other two were around. About this hour, Abraham would be somewhere near the table, talking about something too silly for someone with brains like his. Cosmina would thwack the back of his head and tell him to shut up. That, of course, would lead to a dramatic show of a heartbroken Abraham begging for forgiveness. Fleur looked over at Harry, silently watching the radio as the song hummed on. Everything that she has seen so far told of a very different Harry than she thought, and she found herself quite admiring of the young man. Harry looked up and caught her gaze. Emerald green eyes locked on hers and she smiled, an honest smile rather than a mechanically forced smile, one perfected over years of practice. Thoughts of their previous conversations raced to mind, and the recent interaction that took place in the morning, the way that she felt entranced under his gaze, the way that her heart raced when she realized how close they stood, how she lost her voice when he whispered her name.

"What's on your mind ?" Harry asked. His voice pulled her back to reality and Fleur hid her face behind the mug as she took a sip.

"Rien." She answered, a bit louder than she intended, but Harry didn't seem to notice.

"You're less vocal than the usual, tonight."

"I like zis song."

"Me too. I remember it from the Yule ball." He admitted.

Fleur winced at the mention of the Yule ball. Even remembering that year made her look back at all the attempts at scandalizing Harry and publicly humiliating him. For a second, she feared that he would remember them as well. Fleur set her mug on the table and stood up, walking over to where Harry sat. He looked at her in confusion when she offered her hand. "I saved you a dance zat night, yet I never admitted it."

Harry chuckled and took her hand, "Erasing old memories, are we ?" He stood up and arched an eyebrow, "You're awfully guilty, aren't you ?"

Fleur shushed him and proceeded to place a hand on his shoulder. His own held her waist and they swayed to the music, partly because Harry insisted on keeping his feet planted where they were, a precaution, he said, as to not crush her toes.

"Are you going to tell me about what happened in Oslo, 'Arry ?"

"Not much to tell, really." Harry shrugged, "Abraham was with Guinevere while in Dumstrang. When she graduated, she went back to Oslo to work in her family's pub. Abe pursued advanced charms with a master there, both to keep close and to continue his studies."

"And he went back to see her before ze end ?"

"Yes." Harry confirmed.

"And you, 'Arry ?" She whispered, "Who will you go back to see before the end ?"

"I don't have to." His eyes danced with life, she noted. "I have everything and everyone I need in this tent."

The words alone made the air leave her lungs. Her eyes flickered to his lips before she started leaning forward. The hand that was held in his own crept up his arm toward his shoulder. She closed her eyes just as she was a mere inch away. It was just then that she realized that this wasn't for Dumbledore's sake, nor for Harry's, but for her own.

But Harry moved away.

Fleur opened her eyes to see him moving past the curtain toward his bed. She blinked a few times, trying to understand exactly what it is that just happened. "Don't think that I don't know why you're here, Fleur." Harry said as he stepped back into the center of the tent. "Though I really admire the performance, Sirius was easy to figure out from the start."

Fleur's heart sank at his words, and she stood there petrified, unable to speak, unable to move.

"I find myself wondering how the old man phrased it." Harry chuckled, then laughed, "Oh merlin, it would be a sight to behold to see Dumbledore asking such a thing from you."

"Arry, it's not like zat." Fleur attempted to defend herself.

"Please. Spare me. Dumbledore might have given you the impression that you were humanity's only fucking hope." Harry spat, "And I don't blame you. Honestly, I don't. The man will ask you to wipe your ass with his beard and still manage to make it sound poetically heroic."

"Would you listen to me-" She began only to be interrupted.

"No, you WILL listen and keep quiet." He bellowed.

Fleur inwardly berated herself on ever accepting Dumbledore's offer. She knew that nothing good would come of it. If she had listened to Cosmina's advice and simply admitted the truth, things would have probably been easier.

"In case you haven't noticed, I am not the same Harry that everyone thought they could manipulate. I knew Dumbledore would make someone tag along for the ride, I knew that he asked you to get close to me, and I fucking know why !"

"Arry, please.."

"I should stun you and portkey you back to Grimmauld place with a photograph of my middle finger glued to your forehead for the old man's pleasure." Harry spat, "But every time I think of sending you back, I remember the way your mother looked at you the day we left, I remember the pride in your father's eyes at how you chose to fight. And I can't find it in my heart to let them know that their daughter is a cunning coward that followed the trail of a dark lord's journey with no intentions but to woe a man away from insanity."

The words were painful to hear, oh so painful. Yet so true.

"Arry, it's not like zat !" Fleur tried once more, "It was at ze beginning, but I don't want to manipulate you, not anymore. You don't understand, I really like you." She admitted, and the look of disgust on Harry's face only made her feel all the more guilty.

"We won't speak of this matter again." He warned, "We will be along for the ride, fighting on the same side and nothing else. You will not speak to me about anything that isn't battle related or of grave necessity. If you even so attempt to use your charm on me, or if you act on the intentions planted in your thick skull by Dumbledore and his lot, I will leave you behind, understood ?"

"Arry, why won't you let me-"

"Why ?" He yelled, "Because I would fucking die for you, all of you, without a thought ! And all you lot do is try to manipulate and deceive me in return." Harry stormed out of the tent, only calling over his shoulder without sparing her a second glance, "You and the old man are in for a god damn surprise."

* * *

_Oh yes, I die for you, every day. Over and over again..._

_But is it courage ? Or is it fear ?_

_Courage to defy fate ? Or fear that your blood would stain my hands ?_

_I can't tell really.._

_Either way,_

_Consider yourself lucky. _

_No one else will._

* * *

"Your manor is huge !" Mina exclaimed as she followed Draco down a corridor.

"Old too. Stretches back to the first Malfoys." Draco informed her as he opened a door ad stepped inside. Mina followed him inside what seemed to be his bedroom. "And the tour is concluded with my personal chambers."

Mina moved toward the bed and sat down, "Who were all those people that we saw in the study ?"

Draco shrugged, "My mother and a few family friends. My aunt is away on business and my mother can't stand being here all alone."

Mina smiled sweetly at him and extended her hand, "Come." She whispered.

Draco almost immediately took off his cloak and took her hand, joining her on the bed. He pulled out his wand and placed it next to him.

In a sudden move, Mina's hand closed her his wrist, something that felt like a golden coin was in her palm and he looked up at her in confusion.

The girl chuckled, "Portus." She whispered. And they were gone.

When his face made contact with a wooden floor, Draco cursed himself for casting his wand aside. "Greetings, friend." Said a male voice. "My name is Abraham and I will be your interrogator tonight."

Draco barely had the time to look up before Mina's foot connected with his face, and darkness was all there was.

* * *

_Draco Malfoy._

_Well he had it coming if you ask me.._

_I told that idiot countless times not to mess with me and my friends._

_My two allies made sure that he understood that I am not to be fucked with._

* * *

"Rise and shine, sweetheart."

Draco wished that the girl was only waking him after a long night of love making in his bedroom.

The throbbing pain in his skull told him it wasn't the case.

He opened his eyes and blinked. He took in his surroundings. He was in a dark room, seated and tied to a chair. Cosmina and Abraham stood in front of him.

"It doesn't do to knock out the prisoner before the interrogation, Mina."

"I just stepped on his face. I didn't think that it would knock him out."

"I can't really argue with that, can I ?"

Draco watched the interaction, confused, but scared at most. "Who are you people ?" He blurted out.

"Let's put it this way." Cosmina said as she stepped forward and jerked a thumb in Abraham's direction, "He's the guy that will be asking you a few questions. Mainly about your dear aunt Bella and the rest of the idiots that left with the dark lord." She stated before leaning forward, making the young Malfoy shrink back in fear.

"And I'm the one that will make sure that you scream out the answers."

* * *

_Dun, dun dun…_

_Why yes yes._

_She gives me the hots too at times.._

* * *

**_A/N :_**

Another chapter is out of the way. I think some of you can now see in which direction this is headed, especially where Cosmina is concerned. The next chapter "Crimson red" will have the answers to all of your unspoken questions, and more than a few revelations.

Till then,

Alec the magnificent.


	6. Crimson Red

_DISCLAIMER: _**Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Harry Potter, and neither do you.**

**A/N: **Hello all. You have my infinite gratitude for the support, whether it was by reviewing, following, favoring or simply reading. I wanted to apologize for the grammatical errors and such. English is not my native language ( and I learned on my own, TV, music and books mostly, so I apologize for any future mistakes.) I truly appreciate your words. Now I promised a juicy chapter, and I hope that it meets your satisfaction. Big advance in the plot, yet a bit of a damper on Fleur and Harry's… 'Relationship'? I'll let you be the judge here.

Thank you roguish for your Beta work on this chapter and all the help that you provided. Without further ado:

**Chapter 5: Crimson Red**

* * *

_There were days that made me feel hopeless and crushed._

_Once I actually dropped my wand and almost gave up._

_There are days in life that are meant to crush a man._

_For some, it's when a loved one leaves, for others it's when they lose their job._

_Mine were wrapped in death and despair._

_But you know what makes one individual better than the rest?_

"HOW MANY?"

_It's the ability to get back up._

"Please... No more..." Draco sobbed as he felt a sudden throbbing pain in his leg.

"Answer the question, and she will stop." Said Abraham.

"We should take him back to camp." Said Cosmina as she pushed back her hair, "If he won't answer us, he'll answer him."

Without even knowing who the person of whom Mina spoke, Draco found himself dreading the encounter.

"A fascinating place, is it not?" Said Abraham as he stepped forward, "You call it the shrieking shack, just in case you had trouble recognizing it."

"Why are you doing this?" Draco mumbled, "I can't help you, I can't."

"Yes you can." Abraham stated casually, "And you will. Because this won't stop until you tell us how many left with the dark lord. We know that you surely noticed the absence of some key members in the death eater ranks."

Abraham kneeled, binging himself to the same height as the bound Malfoy, "I think you know by now that she means business." He jerked a thumb in Mina's direction, "And trust me, if she chooses to take you back to camp, you're done for. So why don't you be a good boy and give us the names we need." Abraham nodded encouragingly.

"Why, why are you doing this?" Draco begged.

Abraham's face showed no emotion, no change whatsoever at the question, nor at the weak tone of his voice. "Because this is war." He whispered, "And people choose sides in war. Right or wrong, it doesn't matter, because the outcome is the same." Abraham lifted both hands and slapped Draco once with the right, "Some die." Then he slapped him with the left, "Some live. Is that clear?"

Draco nodded frantically, finding Abraham's touch gentle compared to the girl's.

"How many?" Abraham asked.

"Eleven." Draco replied, defeated and as good as dead.

"Names?" Abraham asked again.

"Bellatrix Lestrange, Mr. Nott. The Carrow twins, Severus Snape, uh..." He wracked his brain to remember, and the pause was a bit too long for Cosmina's taste.

"SPILL IT!" She bellowed from across the room.

"Some bloke called Wormtail, and a creepy man named Vasil Mihailov." He blurted out frantically. "I don't know the rest, I swear!"

"What did you say?" Cosmina asked menacingly.

"I swear! I don't know them! I swear!" Draco cried out.

"That last name, what was it again?" Abraham asked

"Vasil Mihailov." Draco repeated.

"Mina..." Abraham trailed off, eyes still watching the defeated boy, "Isn't that-"

"My father." Mina stated, "That's my father."

* * *

_I wasn't kidding when I said that most of us had to sacrifice family._

"Abraham… Harry can't know.. He can't know.."

_Some of us even had to stand against their own flesh and blood._

"Mina this is.. I really don't know, this is huge."

_But it was complicated, very much so._

"I know, but please.. Trust me on this.. We can't tell him.. Not yet."

_I always wondered if blood was still thicker than water when it came to doing the right thing._

"It's your call.. But you can't hide this for long.. It can end badly.;"

_Ah, I guess that's the second rule of normality thus far._

* * *

Two of the quietest days passed and Fleur found herself awaiting Abraham and Comina's return. No words were exchanged with Harry except an inquiry where Abraham hid the map to Mindara and whether she needed anything before his short trip to civilization to get supplies. The girl couldn't be in the same room with him anymore and finally decided to remain in the privacy of her cot in the tent.

The second day was coming to an end and for the first time in a while, she couldn't hear the radio humming that same soft tune that it did every day. With careful steps, she peeked behind the curtain and saw that Harry wasn't around. A faint light outside the tent drew her attention and she followed it outside.

Harry was seated on a rock a few feet away. He was reading a book, one that she had never seen in his hands ever since their trip began. A few spheres of light hovered around him, illuminating the night enough for him to be able to read despite the darkness. Fleur stood there for a few moments, torn between admiring the beauty of simple magic, and leaving before being noticed.

"Staring at my back will hardly accomplish anything, Fleur."

His voice startled her, and the fact that he caught sight of her without turning around both intrigued and frightened her.

"I saw ze light and I wanted to check."

Harry closed the book and looked up at the orbs of light around him. "Sometimes I forget how beautiful magic can be."

"Basic charms, non?" She asked, referring to the lights. "Simple yet a sight to behold."

"That was my impression of you when we left Britain." He said, turning around to face her, "A simple girl that once made a mistake. But I guess I was wrong." He chuckled, "Wouldn't be the first time."

"Arry, you didn't let me explain." She stated.

"There is nothing to explain, Fleur. You came here for a reason, a wrong one, yet a reason nonetheless." He shrugged, "You should have asked though, I would have spared you the trouble, I would have told you that you're chasing a dead end."

"What do you-"She never got the chance to finish the sentence as a flash of light announced the return of the Romanian pair.

Harry was up on his feet in a second and together they walked toward the source of the light. Cosmina and Abraham stood there, someone standing with difficulty between them. Fleur would have asked what this was about had Harry not done that first.

"What's going on? What is this?" He asked.

It was easy to see the fury in Cosmina's expression. She didn't answer Harry immediately but turned to the blonde boy next to her. "Well what was it that you said to me? That some people need to bow to their superiors? Then bow." She spat.

Her words were followed with a knee to the groin, and the boy toppled over, knees shaking with fear and agony, "Bow, you shit!" She yelled and the boy complied.

"Mina, that's enough." Harry warned before turning to Abraham, "What's gotten into her?"

"Bad mood, I guess." He said, "But if you ask me, I think it's that time of the month."

"What did you bring him here for?" The question was directed at the Romanian lunatic of a girl that kept shaking with anger.

"Was I supposed to let him go warn someone?" She shot back.

"Well what am I supposed to do with him?" Harry asked and shot Abraham a pleading glance.

The boy merely shook his head, "Don't look at me, I'm not keeping that thing."

"I know what to do." Said Cosmina as she proceeded to pull out her wand.

"Mina.." Harry warned and she didn't even look his way.

A whip of her wand and Draco cried out in pain. A gash appeared along his leg. "So that you won't apparate." Mina spat at him before roughly helping him to his feet. She pointed at the darkness of the forest. "Walk." She ordered.

Draco's eyes widened, "Are you serious? Walk where? Where am I?"

"You start walking or I'll be raining curses." She threatened, "Your choice."

"Is this really necessary?" Abraham asked, yet one glare from the girl and he decided to keep quiet.

"WALK!" She bellowed and Draco found himself dragging his leg as fast as he could deep into the forest.

* * *

_I think even the morals that she held dear were absent that night. _

_But then again, Draco Malfoy didn't often inspire virtue._

_Nonetheless, that day was stressful enough. And what dawn was sure to bring chased away whatever sleep we were supposed to have that night._

_But that's okay.. Because that night, we finally knew what we wanted to be should we ever return._

_Blues and greens, friends._

_Blues and greens._

* * *

The tent and its occupants were suffering from insomnia.

Dawn was only a few hours away, and none found comfort under their covers. It was truly nerve wrecking to just think of what they prepared to do, of just how much was at stake. Seeing the same on everyone else's faces did nothing to help. They met at the table in the center of the tent. Everything was packed and stored making the temporary sanctuary that they have had for a while now seem hollow and cold. Harry and Cosmina sat at the table. The girl seemed to be in deep conflict with her thoughts. Abraham sat on a small stool in the back, while Fleur remained still in the comfy armchair as she watched her companions. Abraham seemed to be doing the same. A determined expression suddenly took over his features as he stood and marched toward one of the trunks. Every eye in the room followed as Abraham pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey. Three glasses floated toward them and Fleur hesitated before seeing the encouraging nod from Harry. She snatched the glass out of the air as Abraham walked back toward them, filling their glasses.

They had just finished their glasses in silence before Abraham served them once more. At the end of the second, they were already in the middle of a conversation. Not about the war, no. But simple and silly matters, stories told with such happiness and amusement that they found themselves forgetting all about the upcoming day.

"And I really couldn't believe my ears!" Harry laughed, "He was singing shamelessly in the middle of the diner."

"And it felt liberating!" mused Abraham as he gulped down the rest of his drink, "I sang so beautifully that a diner full of muggles decided to join in on it."

"You sounded horrible." Interjected Cosmina with a laugh,

"I'll have you know that I'm quite the talented young man." Abraham pointed a finger at Harry. "Unlike you."

"Alright then." Harry smirked, "Prove it."

"Prove that you're not talented?" Asked a confused Abraham.

"Prove that _you_ are."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

Cosmina rolled her eyes, "He's asking you to sing, moron."

"Oh." Was Abraham's only reply, then his eyes landed on Fleur and he gasped audibly, "NO ! You just want me to embarrass myself, don't you?"

"I thought you were talented." Harry waggled his eyebrows, eliciting a groan from his friend.

"What am I supposed to sing?"

"Whatever tickles your broom?" Said Harry before furrowing his eyebrows in thought, "Wait, that came out wrong."

"I doubt a song named 'Mina' exists." Abraham winked at said girl.

"I'm quite sure a song along the lines of 'your hand' should do."

"Just sing!" Fleur urged. Abraham looked around their expectant faces and decided that this distraction needed to continue.

"_I was locked up in a crazy place_." He sang in an off-tune voice, "_They found me on the streets, begging for grace. I don't remember but they say I lost my mind._"

It was only a few moments before Abraham got over his shyness and into the mood. The song was so enthusiastically sung that the three could only cheer their friend on.

"_She was in the garden after the rain, in a white robe, we were dressed the same. She took my hand and said my eyes look kind."_

It was probably at moments like this one that Fleur truly envied what Harry and his friends shared. In every way they seemed so different, yet they fit together perfectly.

_"She said you must be the boy she sent me from the other side. Well I've been waiting for the longest time."_

Fleur looked over at Harry, a glass in his hand and a genuine grin on his face. This is how it's supposed to be, she thought. And it was moments like this that pulled them from falling into the cold and dark abyss that this fight kept pushing them into.

Abraham's approach toward her snapped her out of her daze. The boy was still singing as he danced his way toward her and pulled her from her seat, practically forcing her into a dance.

"_And you can tell it's been a crazy ride."_

To Fleur's amusement, Harry and Mina joined Abraham in his enthusiastic performance.

_"Tell her I think I've learned the lesson she sent me to learn_

_Tell her I think I know what I want to be should I return."_

Fleur could barely contain her laughter, and she looked over Abraham's shoulder, her gaze meeting Harry's. She smiled, and he smiled back. For a night, just one night, the world could wait.

_"I want to be blues, _

_I want to be greens, _

_I want to be"_

Harry sent a nod of acknowledgment her way, and the simple motion relieved her immensely. The hidden meaning behind it brought more comfort than she thought possible.

_"Flying on dragonfly wings."_

* * *

"I never really thought I could stay away, you know." Harry stated as he passed the bottle in hand to Mina. They sat on the edge of the cliff, a few feet away from the tent.

"I know." She shrugged.

"I never really thought I could save them, you know." He added.

"I know." Mina repeated.

"I don't have much of a chance at pulling this off. I don't want to be an ass to them anymore, you know."

"I know."

"Mina?"

"Yes?"

"You're a shitty drinking partner."

"I know."

Harry growled in frustration and looked over at her, "Can you please stop saying that?"

"I can't help it if you're boring." She noted as she passed back the bottle.

"I'm nervous!" Harry yelped, "But I'm drunk nervous, so excuse the rubbish that comes out of my mouth."

"Would you rather I get the Veela instead? I bet she'd be entertaining." Mina actually looked excited at the thought.

"I'll pass." Harry shook his head, "I can't stomach French accents when drunk."

"Oh? Not your cup of tea, I take it?"

"She's a fairly attractive witch, and I'm sure that she's quite the talented person, but too gentle for my tastes." Harry took a large swig from his bottle.

"Then what _does _interest you?"

"I don't know really. I never thought about it." Harry shrugged, "But I'm sure I would prefer women with stronger attitudes. Fluffy doesn't do the trick for me, really."

"I'm flattered, Harry." She laughed at his blank expression.

"Well, you should be, Mina, because crazy torture skills aside, you're pretty fucking great!"

"More out of you and you'll make me blush."

Harry frowned, doubting the statement for some reason. "Really?"

"No."

Harry chuckled, "Splendid."

"But since we're on the topic." She started, "I'm quite certain I saw something of that sort lately."

Harry knew where this was going, "You know my opinion on the subject."

"I do. Yet I'm not sure about your feelings."

"Neither am I, really." Harry admitted.

"She will be a distraction should you allow your feelings to develop from admiration to affection."

"I know." Harry nodded, "And I know that such cannot, should not, will not happen."

"Good." Mina smiled at him, giving his shoulder a pat. "We have no right to bring someone else into the misery of our lives."

"You don't have to act as if you understand, Mina. Affection and such mean nothing to you."

"They don't." She whispered, "But you do."

The statement caught him off guard, and Harry turned to regard her with a puzzled expression. Mina's hand cupped his cheek and before he could utter a word, her lips brushed against his, soft and comforting, soothing yet provocative, trembling yet warm and it drove him insane to think of how such could be possible. Her warm breath sent a shiver down his spine, and had he been thinking clearly, he would have wondered how this was happening with Mina of all people. A brush at first turned in moments into something wonderful, Harry thought. And neither made an attempt to move. If Harry had been attentive, he would have surely noticed Fleur standing near the tent.

Mina pulled away but rested her head on Harry's shoulder as they gazed at the moonlit horizon. The boy kept silent for a few moments but the situation was so odd that he finally had to speak, "You keep surprising me. And it scares me how much." He sighed and rubbed his forehead, "I don't even know if you're sane enough to be trusted anymore."

"You can trust me, Harry." Came her soft reply.

"I know.. I know that you have been fighting for a long time, but.." He trailed off, unable or unwilling to voice his doubts. Thankfully, he didn't have to. She pulled away from him, resuming her previous position next to him before speaking.

""I tell you this so that you'll understand, not for pity or self-indulgence or any other bullshit reason. You claim you need trust in us, to know we're here for it all, so this is what you'll get towards that end." A pause as she took a long drink from her bottle, liquid courage for whatever it was that lurked behind those light eyes.

"And if you ever whisper of it to a soul, I will enjoy making your insides become your outsides. Understood?" If there was one thing about the Romanian girl that was quickly understood it was that her threats weren't idle words if she was pushed too far; she was full of an old anger that never quite left. "I was young, my father's prized daughter, as twisted as he was before I knew the truth about his insanity. I knew him as Dumitru Mondragon, but it was Vasil that lurked behind it all. He wanted...a legacy, something to carry on after him, and he saw that in me since his first child had been taken from him. But it's a long story, so I'll try to be simple."

Mina's gaze went off into the distance, focusing on the trees instead of anything nearby, but it was clear her thoughts were elsewhere, not in that moment. "At first, it was being the adorable little girl and getting Vasil's associates to give me treats, just to have them do what I asked because I was young and sweet. And it made daddy so very proud to see his daughter loved by his friends. At least, that's what I thought, what I believed until I knew better. I grew up, became a young lady, and he told me that tactics had to change. He wanted his business partners to no longer see me as the dimpled child in lace and frills, but as something mature, something desirable." Something rippled across her face, an emotion had to name in its brief existence, especially once the bottle obscured her mouth as she took another swallow.

"It was a game to him, something fun he taught me to have his so-called friends calling my name with affection that a thirteen year old girl shouldn't know about. But he was my loving father, the only family I had and it just made him so proud when his darling daughter became a main topic of conversation. He dressed me as he saw fit, in outfits that he said made me look pretty but when it was all just a ruse to blind his friends." A dark laugh escaped then, the briefest of pauses. "I don't know if I was ever truly innocent; Vasil took it all away from me as he made me believe that turning on his buddies was the right way of things. Nothing ever happened, thankfully, at least not then. It was only another year before I was sent off to Durmstrang to learn magic. I had only just learned English, you see, a requirement for the place. I had a tutor up until then, just another dick my father used me to control to his own ends." This time, the break was much longer, the drink from the bottle much larger.

She wiped her lips with the back of her hand while shaking her head slightly. "One of his commandments before I left was to never let anyone have me. That's what he called it. No one could 'have me'. I figured it was propriety, waiting until marriage before doing such things. Pretending and hinting at it were perfectly fine, but carrying through was forbidden. And I was a good girl, did as Daddy said, until I came home in my sixth year for Yule." She turned to the silent Harry then, that familiar anger at the surface beneath her features as she stared at him. "He had sold my innocence to the highest bidder. I was a bargaining chip, sold like a whore to whomever had the largest bank vault. And I was just supposed to go along with it, as if it were simply the pinnacle of our game!"

The bottle was emptied in one final swallow and she threw it in her fury, the glass shattering against a tree across the way. "I found his journal then, the one that explained how he was crazy and Dumitru was just this...this part of his brain, a fragment controlled by Vasil, the true man in the body. I read about Elena, a half-sister I didn't know I had. And I ran. I ran back to Durmstrang and hid there until graduation and I've been running ever since." Her blue eyes bore down into me, angry at the world and her father, what could have been the glimmer of tears in the corner of them. "The fucked up part is I still use it to manipulate people. I did it at school, licked my lips and said alluring things to get what I want." Another laugh, devoid of amusement but roiling with anger.

"But I'll be damned if I'm not good at it."

By now, it was obvious that Mina was drunk, her words coming slower and with the occasional slur. She sat with her knees bent, forearms resting over them as her hands dangled, eyes back to watching the distance. "I ran, like I said, and bumped into a familiar face I hadn't entirely hated back in school: Abraham. We were both fucked up in our own way and he knew a few pieces of my story. I never really told it to anyone , but we shared so much, the only family we felt we truly had. But yeah, so shortly after school I bumped into him before I'd truly fled the country around Durmstrang. I told him what happened, gave him more details than he probably ever wanted, and he wanted to run with me. He has his own story, the pieces I won't share because it's for him to do so if he chooses."

Her attention returned once more, as if she couldn't make up her mind what she wanted to focus on. "We decided that the dark wizards shouldn't exist. I hated them because they wanted me to sleep with them, faceless names that all became one entity. I don't fight them because of some ridiculous moral code past what I believe to be right. For me, it's not being fucked with, not being controlled by anyone but myself. So Abraham and I started travelling all about, collecting names and pieces of information. I figured if the old bastards wanted me, I'd use it against them. You'd be amazed how quickly the guard drops when their pants do, fucking mongrels. I took what I wanted from them but they never got a damn thing from me except a knife to their throats."

That same dark laugh, this time a small smile came with it, but it was as humorless as the rest. "In a way, I was doing your work for you without even knowing it. So, yeah, we're on the same side but we have entirely different methods. You're out to save the world because people told you it was your job, your birthright. I do it because I like to kill the assholes."

* * *

_If I was attentive, if I was sober, I would have seen right through Mina's behavior that night._

_I really never thought that she would go that far simply to prove a point._

_She thought of Fleur a distraction. And she did what she thought was beneficial._

_She eliminated the distraction._

_Heh ! It amuses me to think how a damn kiss could change so much._

_But that's a Mondragon alright._

_A family that the devil applauds. _

_And that's a Potter for you.._

_A family that can't hold their fucking liquor._

_Ha-fucking-ha-ha._

* * *

It was nearly time to leave bed yet Harry faked sleep so he could think. Last night's memories weren't as blurry as he expected them to be. He could remember everything clearly and he was thankful for that, otherwise he would have been terrified to see Mina lying next to him. They both were in his cot, properly dressed. After their little chat near the edge of the cliff, the night was wasted in stolen kisses and nothing more than mere comfort.

It was clear why Mina behaved in such a way. She was getting a point across and though he could understand her reasoning, he knew it was most likely the wrong thing to do. He wondered which part of him kept him from going further with her, the part that felt manipulated, or the part that considered Fleur's thoughts and feelings for no apparent reason.

Mina rolled over and succeeded in pulling Harry from his thoughts by throwing an arm across his torso, her hand gripping his side and pulling him closer. Harry drew in a breath and slowly released it. "Mina." His hand gently shook her shoulder, "It's time."

The girl stirred and blinked a few times before leaving bed without a word. Harry wondered why she kept placing herself in uncomfortable situations but there was simply no explanation, only an admiration for her will to see her task through at any cost, and her ability to bestow comfort and support upon a friend just as easily as she could spawn pain and despair in her enemies.

But those qualities were necessary, necessary to accomplish what had to be done in the near future.

Yet this one attempt successful?

Perhaps Fleur would no longer think of their usual chats and genuine conversations, but he found it hard to find oblivion in Mina's lips. It was quite difficult to forget her persistence, her dedication to gain redemption and forgiveness. For the life of him, he couldn't forget the golden curtain that was her hair or the soft and warm hand that he subconsciously sought whenever an apparition was needed. He couldn't forget her eyes, honest and sincere.

Was that why Cosmina left his bed with no words spoken?

Did she know that his hate toward the French witch grew into admiration?

Yet she was correct in her analysis. Was this not the same reason that he left Hermione and Ron's friendship? Did he not vow to let those with family, those with a future to discover, those that aren't damned, live their lives?

Did he not have the chance to rectify this? Stop this before it got out of hand?

He wanted to believe that he didn't. He truly wanted to believe that, yet fate was never that kind.

When did his own wishes ever matter?

* * *

_I would venture into the depths of hell for you, sweetheart._

_I truly would._

_And you need not ask, no no no no…_

_You need only grace me with one favor._

_I only want you to breathe._

* * *

Matters were different in the Black residence.

Dumbledore could have sworn that during the past few days, the house roared with so much life that it would almost rival Hogwarts on the first day of term. The old man was a man of faith, and he felt more hopeful since Harry returned than he had for a few years. His hunt for Voldemort's artifacts was somewhat successful. He had acquired six of them, yet he dared not destroy them until the last moment. He feared alerting Voldemort of their absence and ruining Harry's chance of survival.

The open window admitted a raven, and all heads turned to follow the bird's flight. Everyone stopped moving and the loud noise died, granting the few anxious souls present a few seconds of peace and quiet. The raven flew toward the old headmaster and perched itself on his shoulder. An envelope was tied to its beak. By the time Dumbledore reached for the letter, Danielle Delacour and her husband, along with Sirius had surrounded him. With a careful hand, the old man fished out the scrolls of parchments and started reading.

_Fawkes,_

_What does the stag say?_

_H.P_

Dumbledore frowned as he noticed that the rest of the parchments were blank. The note on top was passed to Sirius and the man stood there for a few moments, eyes roaming the note for any sign. After a few agonizing moments of silence, it appeared that he had found what he was looking for. Sirius pulled out his wand and touched the tip to Harry's signature,

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." He spoke in a clear voice

To everyone's surprise, words started forming on the rest of the scrolls.

_Padfoot, _

_I believe that I should make this brief and less painful than it already is. We are all well and in high spirits. You need not worry about our progress, because I see light up ahead. _

_Along with my words, you will find my companion's, I hope it will put a few hearts at ease and bring comfort to all. Do not look back or hesitate, have faith and you have my word, we will see this through._

_I hope I will see you soon. Be safe. Be strong._

_I need you to be._

_H.P_

Sirius couldn't tear his eyes away from the piece of parchment. It took him a few moments to pass the rest of the scrolls to the Delacours. Danielle almost immediately sobbed as she recognized her daughter's handwriting. Sirius could only walk away from the gathering crowd with the parchment clutched in his hand. Slowly he made his way up the stairs to the privacy of his room, to the altar of tears that was his bed.

* * *

_I promised, didn't I? _

_I'm a man of my word. That much I know without a shred of doubt._

* * *

"Did you get everything?" Asked Abraham as Harry came closer. Fleur, Mina and himself spent almost an hour waiting on the sandy beach for Harry to return. The country was beautiful to say the least, yet being so close to their destination drove all forms of enjoyment from their hearts. Harry nodded. "I have the basic stuff here, but I'm not sure how much time we have left to prepare trunks and all that." He turned to Mina, "Want to help me charm and shrink them?"

"Sure." She said before walking away with him.

Abraham sat there for a while, silent, yet he stole a glance in Fleur's direction. The lack of emotion on her face was a skill that no doubt took years to master. Yet her eyes held so much more. "Anything you want to talk about?" He finally asked.

"Non." Fleur shook her head, offering him a small smile.

"Try again."

Fleur sighed and turned to see if their companions were anywhere nearby. "I don't know." She said at last.

"Don't think much of it." Abraham supplied, "Really, I wouldn't think much of it."

"I know what I saw." She stated.

"You saw what Mina wanted you to see." He grinned at her, "Why don't you think about that, yeah?"

"Zat does not make any sense." Fleur reasoned, "Why would she want to manipulate me?"

"Why did you want to manipulate Harry?" Abraham interjected. "You'll find that it's the same answer for both questions."

"He told you everything." It wasn't a question.

"Of course." Abraham confirmed. "But it wasn't a surprise really. You were, after all, just like everyone else."

Fleur couldn't help the pang of guilt that she felt inside, "I know. But I apologized for it."

"Can you recall every attempt you've made to embarrass or mock Harry?"

"Non." Fleur shook her head. "But I think about it constantly."

"Well he remembers every single encounter." Abraham said, "Every word, every smirk, everything."

Fleur kept silent. Her eyes were fixed on Abraham as he spoke.

"The worst gift that Harry possesses," He continued, "is his ability to remember. He never forgets when someone wrongs him."

"You know him so well." She finally said, attempting to steer the conversation away from her misdeeds.

"I wouldn't be following him around the world if that weren't the case." Abraham chuckled, "You lot have faith in him because of a prophecy, because of the story of his survival. You lot can't accept change, can't believe for the sake of belief." Abraham stood, dusting himself off.

"Mina and I have faith in him because we know what he's capable of. We didn't need a prophecy for that."

"Zen how?" Fleur asked.

"We lurked around long enough to see it for ourselves." He offered her his hand, "Come on. We still have a lot of work to do. "

* * *

_Some are born great…._

_Some achieve greatness._

_And some just have to be._

* * *

**_A/N : _**_Welp, Abraham's story might pop up somewhere in the future chapters. Again thanks for the support and all. _


End file.
